Does Your Car AC Really Impact Fuel Usage? Time To Find Out
When the AC is running at its maximum setting for a long period, it can reduce the average mileage by a considerable level.
On scorching summer days, it would be hard to imagine driving a car without keeping the air-conditioner on. Using this feature hugely impacts fuel consumption as the engine has to generate extra power to run the compressor. Due to this fact, many car owners often ditch AC to save petrol but in extremely hot weather, it may feel more like a necessity than luxury. A car AC is equipped with a refrigerant that absorbs heat from the inside space and releases it to the outside.
This substance only works when pressurised by the compressor. It puts an additional load on the powertrain, leading to increased fuel consumption. As a result, the mileage (the number of kilometres covered by a single litre of petrol) drops. The exact amount, however, can vary depending on several factors.
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When the AC is running at its maximum setting for a long period, it can reduce the average mileage by a considerable level. For example, if a car, with the AC, can cover 500 kilometres on a full tank, without AC, it could extend to around 600-625 kilometres.
The engine size has a huge impact on the petrol consumption. A larger powertrain is supposed to deliver more energy than the smaller ones. In the case of V6, V8 and V12 engines, the extra loan may not be noticeable but it still leads to increased fuel consumption.
The impact, however, is more noticeable in stop-and-go traffic, where the engine is frequently restarting and has to work harder to maintain both cooling and speed. Smaller engines like 4-cylinders may experience a significant drop in fuel efficiency.
The outside temperature also plays a crucial role in fuel consumption when the car is idle with the AC running. When the weather is hot and humid, the system has to produce more energy to cool the car. On the contrary, when the temperature is cooler, the AC doesn’t need as much energy to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the cabin.
While driving at lower speeds inside the city, it’s ideally better to turn off the AC and roll the windows down. But on highways with higher speeds, it may be more efficient as closing the windows reduces drag and helps improve fuel economy.
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