Does filling up on gas in the morning save money?

Faced with rising fuel prices in France, some motorists are changing their habits to save a little when they go to the pump. One of them concerns the time of day when it is best to fill up your vehicle’s tank.

Going to the pump early in the morning or in the afternoon can affect your fuel tank. You should know that fuels (petrol, diesel, etc.) are very sensitive to ambient temperature. When the temperature is high, the fuel molecules expand and therefore take up more space. On the other hand, when the temperature is low, the fuel molecules become solid. It is precisely this density that allows motorists to save money on their fuel tanks.

Stored in tanks located several meters below gas stations, fuel is denser in the morning when temperatures are coldest. As a result, refueling at this time of day will give the motorist a slightly larger amount of fuel in the afternoon, representing a savings of a few cents.

However, for the professional union Ufip Énergies et Mobilités, this difference is not realized in reality. ” We will never observe significant deviations, unless the deviations are tens of degrees “, he explained to TF1.

Eco-driving to reduce your fuel budget

If this method doesn’t really save money, another practice, on the other hand, offers the possibility of reducing your fuel budget by reducing consumption, according to the Road Safety website. The government site also offers some advice to motorists. The first is to check the tire pressure, as a deflated tire indicates extra fuel consumption. The second is related to the condition of the vehicle. The Road Safety website suggests that the difference in fuel consumption between a well maintained vehicle and a less well maintained vehicle is about 25%.

The third issue is related to speed. According to the government website, when a motorist reduces their speed by 10 kmph, they also reduce their fuel consumption by about 5 litres. The fourth and final issue is related to air conditioning. According to the same source, a vehicle that frequently uses air conditioning consumes an average of 10% more than a vehicle that does not use it.