Does using natural air without AC consume fuel?
3 Answers
Using natural air without AC consumes less fuel. Here is a brief introduction to gasoline: 1. Basic information: Gasoline is a volatile, flammable hydrocarbon mixture liquid distilled and cracked from petroleum, used as fuel. It appears as a transparent liquid, is flammable, and has a distillation range of 30°C to 220°C. 2. Development background: In the mid-19th century, people did not yet recognize the importance of gasoline, as kerosene for lamps was widely used at the time. Petroleum refining then relied on simple distillation processes to separate components with different boiling points. Kerosene, with its higher boiling point, was safer for lamp use and became the primary product of crude oil refining, while gasoline and other components were often burned as fuel.
Using natural ventilation doesn't actually consume much fuel. The blower that provides air circulation in our car runs on battery power, and the battery is recharged by the engine-driven alternator. This means the engine has to work slightly harder, so theoretically it does burn a tiny bit more fuel, but the amount is truly negligible—roughly equivalent to carrying half a bottle of mineral water more. However, it's important to note that if you turn the temperature knob to the heating zone, the engine must additionally heat the coolant to provide warmth, which significantly increases fuel consumption. That's why I prefer using natural ventilation on highways—it keeps me cool while saving fuel.
I've been driving for over a decade and have specifically tested this scenario. When the AC compressor isn't running, the power consumption from the blower has a negligible impact on fuel consumption – at most an extra 0.1 liters per 100 km. The key factor is the fan speed. Running the fan at maximum speed increases engine load, but you won't notice any fuel difference at normal low or medium settings. Compared to using AC which increases fuel consumption by at least 10%, natural ventilation is extremely fuel-efficient. Just make sure to set the temperature control to the cold zone to avoid activating the heating system. Personally, I rarely use AC in summer – natural airflow works perfectly fine for me.
