How much fuel does a car consume when idling for one hour?
2 Answers
For general vehicles with a displacement of 1.5-1.8 liters, the fuel consumption during idling is approximately 1-2 liters per hour. Here are some additional explanations: 1. If the air conditioning is turned on during summer, the fuel consumption during idling will be even higher. 2. Generally, gasoline engines idle at around 800 RPM, while diesel engines idle at around 500 RPM. 3. The higher the engine displacement, the more fuel the car consumes per hour while idling. Therefore, when waiting for someone for an extended period, it's better to turn off the engine rather than letting it idle for a long time. Prolonged idling not only increases fuel consumption but also leads to incomplete combustion of gasoline, resulting in carbon deposits. 4. If you are particularly concerned about fuel consumption, you can choose a car equipped with an automatic start-stop function when purchasing. At traffic lights, the vehicle can automatically shut off the engine to save fuel. However, during this process, the air conditioning system's cooling function will also stop blowing air. When the engine needs to be restarted, simply lightly press the accelerator, and the engine will automatically ignite. In urban stop-and-go traffic, the automatic start-stop feature can save a significant amount of fuel.
As someone who frequently deals with cars, I've noticed that the fuel consumption during idling for an hour varies significantly, generally ranging between 0.5 to 2 liters of gasoline, depending on the vehicle's displacement and type. Small-displacement cars like 1.5L family sedans consume around 0.6 to 1 liter; SUVs or larger-displacement vehicles like 2.0L tend to use over 1.2 liters. Factors influencing this include the engine's age, air conditioning usage (turning on the AC increases fuel consumption by about 30%), and weather conditions (cold starts in winter consume more fuel). I once tested my car and found it burned 0.7 liters in an hour of idling, which felt quite wasteful. I recommend developing a habit of turning off the engine—it saves money, is eco-friendly, and reduces long-term engine maintenance. If you frequently idle, regular cleaning of fuel injectors or using high-efficiency engine oil can help reduce fuel consumption.
