Smarter Ways to Save on Fuel Without Compromising Your Lifestyle

1. With fuel prices continuing to put pressure on household budgets, what practical steps can South Africans take to reduce their everyday motoring costs?

A: I’d start with the basics: driving more smoothly, keeping your tyres at the correct pressures, and staying on top of servicing. Planning your journeys helps, especially when you can combine a few errands rather than making several separate trips. It’s also worth paying attention to how far a tank of fuel actually takes you. Most of us know what we’re spending at the filling station, but understanding how much fuel we use gives us a better starting point when comparing cars.

When you’re ready to replace your vehicle, there’s an opportunity to choose something that uses less fuel and better suits the way you drive every day. Depending on your needs, that could mean moving to a hybrid or plug-in hybrid. It’s also important to consider the broader cost of ownership, including insurance, servicing and warranty cover, alongside the potential fuel savings. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce what you spend at the pumps without creating additional pressure elsewhere in your monthly budget.

2. Hybrids are becoming increasingly popular, but do they genuinely save motorists money in the long run?

A: They can, yes, and South African driving conditions are particularly well suited to hybrid technology. Many motorists spend a significant part of their week in stop-start traffic, which is where hybrids can deliver some of their biggest efficiency gains. By recovering energy during braking and deceleration and using it to assist the engine, a hybrid can reduce fuel consumption during everyday commuting, school runs and urban driving.

The benefits can also extend beyond fuel savings. Regenerative braking can reduce reliance on the conventional braking system, while the electric motor assists the engine during certain driving conditions. Over time, those efficiencies can contribute to lower running costs, particularly for motorists who drive regularly.

What has also changed is accessibility. Hybrids are no longer confined to the premium end of the market, with a growing range of more attainable options now available in South Africa. For motorists looking to reduce fuel consumption without significantly changing the way they use their car, a hybrid is becoming an increasingly practical option.

3. For someone considering their next car, what are the biggest differences between petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles when it comes to everyday running costs?

   A: With a petrol car, your fuel bill is fairly straightforward: how much petrol you use and what it costs to fill up. A full hybrid, like the recently launched OMODA C5 SHS, still uses petrol, but the electric motor helps reduce consumption. You don’t plug it in, so you can benefit from the hybrid system without arranging home charging or changing your routine.

With a plug-in hybrid, the driver can charge a larger battery, allowing them to cover more driving on electric power alone. There’s still a petrol engine, but how much you use it depends on your journeys and how regularly you charge. Someone plugging in at home and doing a short daily commute could have a very different petrol bill from someone covering long distances without charging.

There’s also the fully electric option, like the iCAUR SUVs or JAECOO J5 EV, where you’re paying for electricity rather than petrol. That removes visits to the filling station, but charging still needs to be included in your budget. For either an electric car or a plug-in hybrid, I’d encourage buyers to check what they would actually pay to charge where they normally park, as well as any public chargers they expect to use. Still, this will be significantly more affordable than filling up with fuel on a regular basis.

4. Does a plug-in hybrid make financial sense for someone who mainly drives short distances, such as commuting to work, doing school runs or running errands?

   A: Yes, they can be a good fit, especially when charging is convenient. Take someone doing 40 km a day between work, school and errands. In a plug-in hybrid – take the J7 SHS, for instance, which has a 90 km all-electric range – they could cover that routine twice on electric power alone, while still having the petrol engine available for longer journeys.

   The first thing I’d ask is where they would charge. If they can plug in where they park overnight, it can become part of their normal routine. The car can still operate as a hybrid without regular charging, but they won’t be getting the full benefit of its electric-driving capability.

   I’d look at the monthly distance, the cost of charging and any difference in purchase price together. For a buyer who drives regularly and can charge easily, a PHEV is well worth considering. The important thing is to work out the savings against their own routine rather than assume everyone will get the same result.

5. Beyond the purchase price, what should South Africans consider when choosing a more fuel-efficient vehicle that suits their lifestyle and budget?

   A: With a hybrid or plug-in hybrid, ask what the battery warranty covers, how long it lasts and whether there’s a mileage limit. Check the service plan separately, because a warranty and a service plan don’t cover the same things. For a PHEV, customers also need to establish what charging at home would involve and whether there’s an installation cost.

   Then think about an ordinary week with the car. Does it have enough room for your family? Does it suit the roads you use? And, if you’re considering a plug-in hybrid, can you charge where you normally park? A test drive is a good opportunity to discuss those things with the dealer. Being clear about how you’ll use the car helps them guide you towards something that meets your needs and fits comfortably in your budget.