How much fuel does car air conditioning consume per hour?
2 Answers
Car air conditioning consumes approximately 6-8 cents worth of fuel per hour. Below is relevant information about car air conditioning: 1. Introduction: The vehicle air conditioning system consists of a compressor, condenser, throttle element, evaporator, fan, and necessary control components, designed to regulate the interior temperature and humidity, providing a comfortable environment for passengers. 2. Working Principle: When the compressor operates, it draws in low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator. After compression, the refrigerant's temperature and pressure increase, and it is sent to the condenser. Inside the condenser, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant transfers heat to the outside air passing through the condenser, causing it to liquefy. The liquid refrigerant then flows through the throttle device, where its temperature and pressure decrease before entering the evaporator.
I used to be curious about this issue too. When driving with the AC on to take my family out, I always worried about fuel consumption. I tested it with my own 1.5L compact car—idling with the AC on during the hottest part of summer for an hour burned about 1.5 liters of fuel. On the highway at 100 km/h, the AC increases fuel consumption by 1 to 2 liters per 100 km, which works out to roughly 1 liter per hour. The temperature setting makes a big difference: running the AC at maximum cooling uses about 30% more fuel than auto mode, and older cars with less efficient compressors consume even more. Nowadays, I usually set the temperature to 24°C and point the vents upward—it cools faster and saves a bit of fuel, especially in traffic when I don’t want to worry about wasting gas. But with kids in the car, safety and comfort come first—if the AC is needed, it’s worth using.
