How much fuel is consumed when sleeping in the car overnight?
2 Answers
Running the car engine with the air conditioning on consumes approximately 1-2 liters of fuel per hour. For an 8-hour overnight period, this translates to at least 80 liters of fuel. Related information: 1. Precautions: It is possible to rest in the car, but you should not keep the air conditioning running continuously. Since the air inside the car cannot circulate properly, carbon monoxide emitted by the engine may leak into the car and gradually accumulate, increasing its concentration and leading to poisoning. There have been many cases where people fell asleep and never woke up again. 2. Additional details: When the engine is idling, gasoline does not burn completely, producing large amounts of carbon monoxide. At the same time, because the car is not moving, the carbon monoxide generated gradually accumulates around the base of the car, increasing in concentration. Eventually, a certain amount of carbon monoxide will enter the car through the air circulation system. Carbon monoxide is highly toxic, and even a small amount can be fatal.
I often go on road trips and sometimes sleep in my car at rest areas. If I turn on the air conditioning, the fuel consumption overnight depends on the car model. My 1.8L sedan consumes about 1.2 liters of fuel per hour when idling with the AC on, so sleeping for 8 hours would use around 10 liters. Larger-displacement SUVs are even more fuel-intensive, with a 2.0T model consuming up to 15 liters. In winter, using only the heater saves some fuel since it utilizes the engine's waste heat. Additionally, prolonged idling can lead to carbon buildup, which is bad for the engine, so if it's not too hot, I crack a window for ventilation. Always remember to park in a well-ventilated area—safety first.
