How Much Fuel Does Using Car Air Conditioning Consume?
2 Answers
Generally, when a car's air conditioning is turned on, it affects the engine's power by 20% to 30%. Therefore, driving the same distance with the air conditioning on consumes 20% to 30% more fuel compared to driving without it. The maintenance methods for car air conditioning are as follows: 1. Poorly sealed doors: It is well known that air conditioning should be used in a fully enclosed state. The same applies to car air conditioning. If doors and windows are not tightly closed during use, the cooling effect will be poor, and fuel will be wasted. 2. Random adjustment of air vent direction: Some car owners do not pay attention to adjusting the direction of the air conditioning airflow when using it, which is not conducive to achieving the best performance of the air conditioning. According to the principle that cold air sinks and hot air rises, the correct approach should be to direct the air vents upward when cooling and downward when heating. 3. Prolonged use of air conditioning: Some car owners often keep the air conditioning on continuously after starting the car. However, prolonged use of air conditioning can increase the pressure on the condenser, causing wear and tear to the cooling system. This is because the air conditioning is a heavy load on the engine, and the engine itself is a heat source, especially in hot weather.
I've driven for many years, and turning on the AC does make the car consume more fuel, roughly increasing by 10% to 20%. It's most noticeable in city traffic jams, where fuel consumption can rise by 15%, while on highways it's slightly less, around 5-10%. I usually set the temperature to around 25°C, not too low, because reducing the compressor load saves some fuel. Using the recirculation mode improves efficiency by preventing hot outside air from entering. When stopped at red lights, I often turn off the AC to reduce the load. Before getting in the car, I open the windows for a few minutes to let the hot air escape before turning on the AC. Regularly checking the AC system, such as cleaning the filters, can also prevent extra fuel consumption. Driving in hot weather, mastering these small tricks can save quite a bit overall.
