How long does it take to drive over 10,000 kilometers?
4 Answers
Based on the average highway speed of around 100 kilometers per hour, it would take approximately 100 hours, or roughly four days and four hours of continuous driving. Here are some driving precautions to keep in mind: 1. Avoid driving at high RPM: Matching RPM and gear selection is now part of the driving test standards, highlighting its importance. Prolonged high-RPM driving can damage the engine. 2. Do not idle to warm up the engine: With advancements in engine technology, modern fuel-injected engines have temperature compensation systems that allow normal driving even when cold. Extended warm-up periods only increase fuel consumption. 3. Regularly check the levels of engine oil, coolant, and battery electrolyte: These fluids are essential for proper vehicle operation. A deficiency in any of them can cause immeasurable damage to your car. 4. Avoid overloading: Every vehicle has a rated load capacity. Exceeding this limit can lead to mechanical damage. A common form of overloading is towing another vehicle, which is harmful and offers no benefits. It's best to keep the load within 70% to 80% of the rated capacity. 5. Rotate tires periodically: Based on past experience, tires should be cross-rotated every 20,000 kilometers—for example, swapping the front left tire with the rear right tire and the front right tire with the rear left tire—to balance wear. 6. Turn off the air conditioning in advance during summer: Since air conditioning is frequently used in summer, it's advisable to switch it to natural air mode one minute before parking and turning off the engine. This reduces damage to the AC system and extends its lifespan.
Based on my daily commuting experience, there's no standard answer to how long it takes to drive 10,000 kilometers. I live in the suburbs and work in the city, with a daily round trip of 60 kilometers. Add weekend outings with the kids, and I hit 10,000 kilometers in about three months. However, my colleague Xiao Wang, who lives downtown and mainly uses the subway for commuting, only drives on weekends—he took two years to reach 12,000 kilometers. For full-time ride-hailing drivers, it's even more extreme—they reportedly average 5,000 to 6,000 kilometers per month. So it really depends on usage: frequent long-distance commuters might hit it in 2-3 months, while occasional drivers could take over a year.
I just calculated my car usage expenses for last year, driving a total of 12,000 kilometers. On weekdays, I drive 20 kilometers daily to take my kids to school. On weekends, it's a 50-kilometer round trip to my parents' place, plus two or three short trips around the area each month. This averages about 34 kilometers per day, meaning I reached the target in about 10 months. However, my friend mainly uses her car for short grocery runs - just 3 kilometers from her home to the supermarket, driving three times a week. At that rate, she'd cover at most 1,500 kilometers annually. I recommend downloading a mileage tracking app. With my current driving habits, I get the tire pressure checked every 300 kilometers or so. Getting maintenance done proactively actually saves hassle in the long run.
From an EV owner's perspective, my car has a rated range of 500 km on full charge, but actual range drops to 80% with AC on. With a daily commute of 40 km, I typically charge twice weekly. The system alerts me to replace the cabin air filter every 3 months or 3,500 km. Therefore, reaching 10,000 km takes about 9 months, requiring approximately 80 charging sessions at 40 minutes per fast charge. However, during winter with battery degradation, it may take an extra two weeks to cover 10,000 km.
