There seems to be an app for everything and if there isn’t you can be sure someone somewhere is working on it right at this very minute. With smartphones being a constant companion for most of us there are numerous ways that their functions can come in handy when we’re making a road trip.
Caravan enthusiasts are no exception. With ever rising fuel costs across Europe it is no longer as simple as filling up once you get off the ferry to mainland Europe. At home, many used to rely on having built up a memorised list of cheap filling stations dotted around the UK but increasingly small local garages seem to be going under.
So here are some apps for your phone that might come in very handy when it comes to caravan fuel.
Fuel Economy Calculator
One of the top apps is the ‘Fuel Economy Calculator’ from Corbenic Consulting. It has been featured in The Sunday Times who called it “extremely accurate” and rated it as one of the top 500 apps in the world, whilst Moneywise Magazine recommended it by saying it is one of “the best apps to make your money go further”.
As with most apps of this kind, it monitors your fuel consumption and helps identify any problems which may impact fuel efficiency, such as low tyre pressure. By inputting some simple data you can find out your fuel cost per mile, how much you spend on fuel on average in a month and how much a particular journey will cost you.
EcoSpeed
The creators of another app EcoSpeed say using theirs could provide fuel savings of as much as 30%. It utilises technologies designed to help achieve the aim of travelling at the most fuel efficient speed by taking the most fuel-efficient route.
All you need to do is input your starting location and destination and EcoSpeed will tell you the most fuel-efficient route to travel. The app takes into account the number of traffic stops, speed limits and local traffic conditions which all effect fuel efficiency. The aim of the app is to come up with a suitable route that is likely to provide a continuous run, making it less stressful and more enjoyable too.
DriveGain
The DriveGain iPhone app gives both audio and visual feedback to enable drivers to modify their style in order to make the most of possible fuel savings and therefore contribute to cutting back on CO2 emissions. According to research carried out by the UK based company changing driving habits can result in cutting fuel costs by as much as 15%.
The app works by encouraging good habits and pointing out the bad with correct use of gear changes and acceleration rates take into consideration. Both US and UK English voices are provided for the audio exchanges.
We hope these smartphone apps will help you measure your fuel consumption and make your caravan holiday as painless as possible but if you need more caravanning information make sure to check out Caravan Club-the UK’s no.1 source for dedicated caravanners.
