Do car parts for tuning and environmental protection go together?

Passionate tuners initially only think of one answer to the question mentioned in the heading: Not at all. At least not when it comes to generating more power and / or sound by means of engine tuning or a fat exhaust system. Thick rims with wide flaps also have a negative effect on fuel consumption. In addition, they generate significantly more abrasion, which spreads in the form of microplastics. None of this is new.

• Nevertheless: More displacement, more power, an additional riding stable under the hood and Acceleration Deluxe are not the icing on the cake. You are the soup!

On the other hand, climate change cannot be denied. The situation is becoming increasingly acute. And even though it's certainly fun to at least mentally burn a donut on the asphalt next to a "Friday for Future" demo, immediately after opening the hood, some tuning fans get a slightly bad aftertaste. But driving an off-the-shelf Smart just doesn't feel right. So what to do? Can car tuning and environmental protection be at least partially combined? We get to the bottom of this dilemma. We don't offer a perfect solution, but we do offer a few approaches.

1. Tuning for the eye

• A tuned car is a feast for all the senses. Of course, it's an exhilarating feeling when the acceleration forces push us into the seat, the engine goes from purring to roaring and brand new Porsches look old on the highway. But tuning is also something for the eye. From the paint to the interior to the tinted rear light - tuning parts make the exterior of the car appear super stylish and individual and can be ordered and installed in no time. Suitable online shops such as Motointegrator offer car parts and tuning accessories.

Clear: Ostrich leather seats, gold dust paint, velvet sky with LED light show, screens for the rear seats and so on certainly also have their CO₂ footprint, but optics tuning is definitely more sustainable than burning more than 20 liters over 100 km.

2. Down-tuning - even if it hurts

• Down-tuning is something like the anti-climax for every full-blooded tuner. But here you simply have to ask yourself whether the 400+ hp under the hood are still up to date. Speed ​​limits, CO₂ pricing and driving bans are convincing arguments. Not to mention the current fuel prices, which will most likely continue to rise in the future.

3. Increasing the efficiency of the car

• With targeted tuning tricks, you can also increase the efficiency of your own car. This ultimately leads to lower pollutant emissions, which in turn benefits the environment. For this purpose, the engine control unit is docked and the original software is read out. The maps in the control unit are then optimized using special software in order to increase efficiency. The process can take up to four hours, but no additional boxes or devices need to be installed. It is sufficient to make a few adjustments to the software installed on the vehicle.

4. Switching to electricity, hybrid or even hydrogen

• E-mobility is on the advance and is therefore an increasingly important topic in the tuning community. Rightly so, because today's fossil fuels are tomorrow's whale oil. The development is certainly still in its infancy - mainly as far as the sustainable production of hydrogen is concerned - but the path away from petrol and diesel is definitely going in the right direction. And there is no question that an e-car can also be properly tuned.

"Tuningblog.eu"