The vehicle buying service BigWantsYourCar.com has offered motorists a number of tips that can help them to stay cool this summer whilst improving their fuel consumption.
As the temperature continues to rise, many motorists are turning on the air conditioning for the first time this year, which can cause a vehicle to use more fuel.
Darren Miller, a motoring expert at BigWantsYourCar.com, stated that drivers should always be considerate about using the air conditioning, highlighting that it can be more fuel efficient to wind down the windows.
He advised: “When deciding whether to use air conditioning or open windows in your car, think about how fast you’re driving and where you are. If you’re driving at lower speeds in the city, opening the windows can work just fine.
“It lets fresh air flow through the car, which means you won’t need to use the air conditioning as much. Using a lot of air conditioning can make your car use more than 25 percent more fuel.”
BigWantsYourCar.com also advised drivers to remove all the hot air from the interior before they turn on the air conditioning system.
During the summer months, car interiors can heat up incredibly quickly when the vehicle is left unattended, with studies finding that temperatures can rise to 38 degrees in just 10 minutes.
As a result, by initially opening the windows, drivers can quickly cool down and let the hot air escape. This can also help to reduce the load of the air conditioning system, meaning it does not have to work as hard to bring the temperature to a comfortable level.
Darren also recommended that motorists should make sure that all of the air vents in the vehicle are put to good use, helping to reduce the amount of time the air conditioning needs to be on.
He added: “Making sure the air from your car vents is directed properly can really help keep everyone in the car cool. Instead of just aiming the air at your face, it’s better to spread it out so that everyone in the car feels comfortable.
“This will help the air conditioning system work better overall and means you use less energy on air conditioning.”
Finally, Darren suggested that turning on the recirculation function of the air conditioning system can help drivers to keep their vehicle cooler for longer.
He continued: “Turning on recirculation mode in your car can help maintain the coolness inside your car by preventing hot air from getting into the cabin.
“By trapping the already cooled air and isolating it from the outside heat, the air conditioning system operates more efficiently, consuming less energy and ultimately prolonging its lifespan.”
