Is it true that you can save gas if you dont use the air condition of the car?

Question

I read an article long time ago where they said if you dont use your AC of the car you save gas

Answer 1

That's correct. The engine uses more power when using the AC, so it uses more gas for that purpose.

While it does not say anything about the AC here are some good tips for saving gas.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml

Answer 2

Yes this is true in all vehicles. But if you open the windows you will also have drag which will reduce your gas. So if you want to stay cool run the ac. You can do an experiment yourself by filling up zeroing your trip odometer and running your ac while you drive everytime you drive until your empty. Then fill up and get your mileage. Then reset the trip odometer and turn off the ac and drive with the windows open everytime you drive until your empty. Do the math and you will have the answer for your particular car. Have fun!

Answer 3

To answer the question strictly as you asked it, yes, AC uses gas. However, if you want ventilation, according to a MythBusters episode (Discovery channel), the cross-over point is 50mph. Above that speed, the drag on the car created by open windows makes the car less efficient and so you should close the windows and turn on the AC. Below 50mph, the AC becomes the factor adversely affecting mileage and you should turn off the AC and open the windows.

Answer 4

Absoluteley. The fan that just blows aout air to you is electrical, but the system that controls the A/C is powered by an additional motor that runs on the same gas that is used by the engine. So, the more you use your A/C the more gas you will consume.

What some people do is that if your car is really hot, they'll turn it on for a few minutes, and then shut it off and just roll down the windows. Your best bet will be to park in the shade and you should be fine.

Answer 5

That's true. The air conditioner taxes your engine, so if you don't use it you will save some gas. How much gas you save depends on your driving habits and the type of engine you have in your car. If you do mostly freeway driving and you have a big V-6 or a V-8 under the hood, driving without air won't save much gas. However, if you have any type of 4-cylinder engine under the hood you'll save more gas, especially if you do a lot of city driving (could be as much as 5 MPG in the city by shutting off the A/C).

Answer 6

With modern cars, using the AC results in little or no change in fuel economy.

With older cars, depends on the design and the transmission.

I had a Neon which returned over 40 mpg in the summer when I rolled down the window and used my arm as an aerodynamic tool.

For most older cars fuel economy goes down with AC usage.

Answer 7

Oh yea.....Thats a given!!

The extra load the compressor (when engaged) puts on the engine makes you use more gas.

To see the difference...sit idle, and look at your tachometer (RPMs) kick on the AC and watch your RPMs drop by several hundred. If you want to bring your engine back up to the original RPM you have to press the gas slightly, THUS using more gas than sitting idle. right?

BUT, keep in mind, at highway speeds its better to run the AC instead of having your windows down. If you have your front windows open, the back part of the car acts like a parachute, if you will, and holds your car back, thus requiring you to press deeper on the gas pedal to acheive the same speed.

Answer 8

This is only partly true. It would save gas to turn off AC but you would have to leave your windows up. If you roll the windows down you cause resistance which causes your engine to work just as hard.

Answer 9

Excuse ME? ANY use of the A/C hurts your gas mileage as potential used to run the A/C isn't used to circulate the motor vehicle. gas has in basic terms a fixed quantity of potential attainable in an engine so in case you utilize some for the A/C much less is used for something of the flaws making use of the potential! undemanding experience! the only reason open abode windows impact mileage is the added wind resistance from having them open at greater speeds from greater desirable turbulence. Closed abode windows shrink turbulence which reduces the potential used to circulate you at any given speed, that's called aerodynamics. whilst will those city myths DIE already!?!

Answer 10

Yes, using the AC makes the engine consume more gas, because it is working harder. It is almost as if you were accelarating a little harder or accelarating all the time- but not really that bad. It may however reduce consumption 3-7% depending on how high the AC is.