BMW 550i xDrive Sedan 2014 - Manual (Page 194)

Avoid high engine speeds
Use 1st gear to get the vehicle in motion. Be‐
ginning with 2nd gear, accelerate rapidly.
When accelerating, shift up before reaching
high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con‐
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
The gear shift indicator of your vehicle indi‐
cates the most fuel efficient gear.
Use coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot
off the accelerator and let the vehicle coast to
a halt.
On a downhill gradient, take your foot off the
accelerator and let the vehicle roll.
The flow of fuel is interrupted while coasting.
Switch off the engine during
longer stops
Switch off the engine during longer stops, e.g.,
at traffic lights, railroad crossings or in traffic
congestion.
Auto Start/Stop function
The Auto Start/Stop function of your vehicle
automatically switches off the engine during a
stop.
If the engine is switched off and then restarted
rather than leaving the engine running con‐
stantly, fuel consumption and emissions are
reduced. Savings can begin within a few sec‐
onds of switching off the engine.
In addition, fuel consumption is also deter‐
mined by other factors, such as driving style,
road conditions, maintenance or environmental
factors.
Switch off any functions that
are not currently needed
Functions such as seat heating and the rear
window defroster require a lot of energy and
reduce the range, especially in city and stop-
and-go traffic.
Therefore, switch off these functions if they
are not actually needed.
The ECO PRO driving program supports the
energy conserving use of comfort functions.
These functions are automatically deactivated
partially or completely.
Have maintenance carried
out
Have vehicles maintained regularly to achieve
optimal vehicle economy and operating life.
The maintenance should be carried out by
your service center.
Also note the BMW Maintenance System, refer
to page
231 .
ECO PRO
The concept
ECO PRO supports a driving style that saves
on fuel consumption. For this purpose, the en‐
gine control and comfort functions, e. g. the
climate control output, are adjusted.
Under certain conditions the engine is auto‐
matically decoupled from the transmission in
the D selector lever position. The vehicle con‐
tinues traveling with the engine idling to re‐
duce fuel consumption. Selector lever position
D remains engaged.
Seite 194
Driving tips Saving fuel
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Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 928 000 - II/14