Pinoy drivers found among the most fuel efficient

THE PHILIPPINES has among the largest share of motorists in Asia and Europe that are fuel efficient, a survey by multinational oil company Shell found.

More than two-thirds, or 64%, of roughly 300 Filipino drivers surveyed in March were deemed fuel efficient based on the number of thrifty tricks they claim to use, thus putting the country second of 11 economies after Thailand, the Shell FuelSave Report 2010 showed.

Malaysia trailed behind in third place, followed by Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore, Turkey, the UK, Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.

A global comparison showed that Asian motorists are generally more fuel efficient than those in Europe, with 61% of the drivers in this region deemed to be “fuel savers” versus just two in five in the West, the report stated further.

“The majority of Asian drivers are in the right mindset to save fuel,” the report stated.

“But many still lack the resources and knowledge to do so…More than one in three Asian drivers who are not fuel savers admit that they don’t know how to be more fuel efficient,” it stated.

Despite this, the Philippines will likely continue to be among those leading the fuel-saving pack as it has the biggest share — at 97% — of respondents that said they were are interested in advice on how to save fuel. The global average, in contrast, is 83%.

The country placed second in two other areas: in terms of the share of respondents who said they are willing to change their behavior to keep more gas in the tank (91%) and in term of those who claim to have increased their fuel-saving awareness this year (78%).

The Filipino habit for frugality comes even as respondents here reckoned that their efforts will yield only modest savings. In comparison, those in Malaysia and Thailand expected higher “substantial” savings.

Sought for comment, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) confirmed that Filipinos are generally a thrifty market, considering their demand for budget-friendly vehicles.

“We are happy to see that Filipinos are ahead of the curve with regard to applying fuel-saving techniques when driving and caring for their vehicles,” CAMPI President Elizabeth H. Lee said in a text message yesterday.

The industry group has lined up a fuel-efficiency education campaign in line with next month’s Philippine International Motor Show.

“This comes as no surprise, as Filipinos are particularly proactive when it comes to ways to save. This is reflected in buyers’ preference for vehicles that give them the best value for money,” Ms. Lee said.  –JESSICA ANNE D. HERMOSA, Senior Reporter, Businessworld