Does Turning on the Air Conditioner Affect Car Power?

[SanGraham]

Turning on the air conditioner does affect the car's power. Working principle: Car air conditioning requires the activation of the air conditioning compressor for cooling, while heating relies on the engine temperature. Therefore, heating does not affect the power, but there is a noticeable power lag when cooling. When the car's air conditioner is turned on, it is usually directly driven by the engine, with power typically ranging from 1 kilowatt to several kilowatts. However, when the air conditioner is on, the blower is usually also activated for air circulation; otherwise, effective cooling cannot be achieved. Low-speed and high-speed driving: At low speeds, the car's engine power is often only utilized at 30% to 40%. In addition to overcoming the vehicle's driving resistance, the engine power is also needed for battery charging to compensate for the consumption of car electrical appliances, including the air conditioning fan, lights, radio, etc. Therefore, although the power consumption of the air conditioner may not seem significant overall, at low speeds, it occupies a considerable proportion of the engine's power. As a result, many drivers can easily feel a noticeable drop in power at low speeds. However, at high speeds, the sensation of power attenuation is not as obvious.

[VanAlina]

Turning on the AC definitely affects the car's power, and I've experienced this firsthand. Especially with small-displacement cars, you can really feel the vehicle becoming sluggish when the AC is on, with noticeably weaker acceleration. This happens because the AC compressor is driven by the engine, which diverts some of the engine's power. For cars like our 1.5T models, power loss with the AC on can be around 10%, which becomes particularly noticeable when climbing hills or overtaking. My suggestion is to turn off the AC for a few minutes if you're in a hurry or need extra power. The impact is less noticeable during regular city driving, and it's negligible on highways. Also, remember to regularly check the AC system, as a stuck compressor can cause even more significant power loss.

[LaMaddox]

Turning on the air conditioning does indeed reduce the car's power slightly, primarily due to the compressor. When the compressor starts working, the engine has to exert extra effort to drive it, which inevitably diverts some of the energy that would otherwise be used to power the wheels. This effect is most noticeable in smaller displacement vehicles, such as the common 1.6L models, where you often need to press the accelerator more deeply to start moving with the AC on. However, the impact is much less significant in larger displacement vehicles. Using the air conditioning also increases fuel consumption by about 10%. It's recommended not to worry too much about using the AC in traffic jams, but you might want to reduce the fan speed when overtaking. Also, remember not to frequently turn the AC on and off to save fuel, as this can cause more harm to the car.

[ODiana]

Turning on the AC does indeed reduce the car's power. I noticed this when I first started driving—stepping on the accelerator with the AC on always felt like something was missing. Especially when starting from a red light in summer, the car clearly feels heavier. The principle is simple: the engine not only has to propel the car but also power the AC compressor. Smaller-displacement engines are affected the most, while larger-displacement ones feel less impact. If you encounter a steep climb or need extra power for overtaking, you might want to turn off the AC briefly. However, many new cars now come with turbocharging, which minimizes the effect compared to older models.