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Is it? The thing's huge, air conditioning is never cheap. A quick search says average cars consume ~25% more gas with AC, making it somewhat high. I think shor

Is it? The thing's huge, air conditioning is never cheap. A quick search says average cars consume ~25% more gas with AC, making it somewhat high. I think short trips at low speeds are also terrible for AC, dunno how they did the projections.

bgnn 2y ago
my car consumes 5% more with AC on. it's a 2002 Mazda. So, I don't believe 25% number.
- grecy 2y ago
  I feel the same way. I've never had a vehicle that consumed more than 5% extra with A/C. With my current diesel I can't notice a difference at all.
- boomboomsubban 2y ago
  My source was a government site, make of it what you will. I may have worded it more strongly than I should have. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hotweather.shtml https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hotweather.shtml
  - chrisco255 2y ago
    Consumer Reports did a study on this and it only reduced gas mileage by 3% on a Honda. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/common-ac-and-fuel-efficiency-myths-debunked https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/c...
    - boomboomsubban 2y ago
      At 65mph and ~85 degrees. The page I linked sources several studies testing at many other temperatures and speeds.
      - chrisco255 2y ago
        No car takes a 25% hit from the A/C in gas mileage.
        boomboomsubban 2y ago
        >The internal combustion engine (ICE) variant has an estimated fuel efficiency of 14.7 mpg‑US (16.0 L/100 km), decreasing to 8.6 mpg‑US (27 L/100 km) when the air conditioning is on.
- rsynnott 2y ago
  It may be a “worst case, only when actively cooling at maximum power” figure. In reality you’d expect ambient conditions to make a big difference to aircon energy use.
chrisco255 2y ago
No. Sorry the quick search result was dead wrong.
causi 2y ago
A quick search says average cars consume ~25% more gas with AC, making it somewhat high. Tons of websites say this but in my own testing during my commute the difference is almost unnoticeable, let alone a full 25%.

bgnn 2y ago

my car consumes 5% more with AC on. it's a 2002 Mazda. So, I don't believe 25% number.

grecy 2y ago
I feel the same way. I've never had a vehicle that consumed more than 5% extra with A/C. With my current diesel I can't notice a difference at all.
boomboomsubban 2y ago
My source was a government site, make of it what you will. I may have worded it more strongly than I should have. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hotweather.shtml https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hotweather.shtml
- chrisco255 2y ago
  Consumer Reports did a study on this and it only reduced gas mileage by 3% on a Honda. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/common-ac-and-fuel-efficiency-myths-debunked https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/c...
  - boomboomsubban 2y ago
    At 65mph and ~85 degrees. The page I linked sources several studies testing at many other temperatures and speeds.
    - chrisco255 2y ago
      No car takes a 25% hit from the A/C in gas mileage.
      - boomboomsubban 2y ago
        >The internal combustion engine (ICE) variant has an estimated fuel efficiency of 14.7 mpg‑US (16.0 L/100 km), decreasing to 8.6 mpg‑US (27 L/100 km) when the air conditioning is on.
rsynnott 2y ago
It may be a “worst case, only when actively cooling at maximum power” figure. In reality you’d expect ambient conditions to make a big difference to aircon energy use.

chrisco255 2y ago

No. Sorry the quick search result was dead wrong.

causi 2y ago

A quick search says average cars consume ~25% more gas with AC, making it somewhat high. Tons of websites say this but in my own testing during my commute the difference is almost unnoticeable, let alone a full 25%.