Air Conditioning or Windows Down?

As we are now in our summer season, we all hope the sun will come out and shine during the next few weeks. With the rising cost of fuel and the temperature outside increasing this sparks the debate of what is more fuel efficient; air conditioning or opening the window?

There are numerous discussions surrounding if air conditioning increases fuel consumption. Studies have shown that switching on your air conditioning system can come at a charge and although we perceive it as a free of charge feature of the vehicle, the reality is maybe different. As we turn up our air conditioning additional energy is required and thus more fuel is used. There are countless statistics that reveal how much fuel consumption increases by, however figures typically fall between a five and eleven percent increase.

After endless debates and research there is still little consensus as to the vital statistics, but the common agreement is:

When driving at lower speeds less power is produced by the vehicles engine, therefore to run an air conditioning system will make the vehicle work considerably harder, for this reason when driving at lower ‘stop-start’ speeds, such as town driving opening a window is more efficient.

When a vehicles speed goes beyond 40 miles per hour having the windows open will cause an increase in drag resulting in lowered fuel efficiency. Therefore when driving at higher speeds the most efficient option is to close the window and switch on your air conditioning.

The majority of research shows that having the air conditioning switched on does not have a big effect on fuel consumption. If you drive a more modern vehicle by and large they are designed to be more aerodynamic and therefore more fuel efficient, so turning on the air conditioning will have minimal impact on fuel consumption.

The very best way to save fuel is to have the air conditioning off and the windows up. Allow your vehicle to cool before you set off on your journey, by simply parking in the shade and starting your journey in a cool vehicle you won’t have to worry about the extra fuel cost!