Many drivers have turned to fuel-saving tips to cut back on gas and diesel, and some turn to their air conditioning in the warmer months to save money. The RAC says that the use of air conditioning, especially when driving in warmer weather, can increase a car’s fuel economy.
He added that drivers shouldn’t use air conditioning unless they “really have to.”
Instead, many experts advocate that drivers open the windows when driving to get cooler air into the cabin.
Generally, air conditioning systems take in outside air and then heat or cool it.
This uses much more fuel compared to the lesser known option of air recirculation.
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However, once the car has cooled down sufficiently, motorists can choose to reduce the flow rate, increase the temperature, or turn off the air conditioning entirely.
On a long trip, it’s unlikely that the air conditioning will need to be on full blast the entire way.
This is why the increase in fuel consumption caused by the use of air conditioning may be more noticeable on a short trip.
Sarah Tooze went on to say, “However, while keeping the air conditioning off for extended periods may save a small amount of fuel in the short term, it can cause costly problems down the road.
“Air conditioning systems are designed to operate 100 percent of the time, so the compressor can seize if it’s off for long periods, or the gaskets can dry out and allow gas to escape.”
According to confused.com, some petrol stations are selling petrol for as little as 149.9 pence a litre, with diesel drivers also seeing some relief at 167.9 pence a litre.
Despite this, some service stations continue to profit from fuel and do not pass on any price drop to the consumer.
The data shows that the highest price for petrol is 199.9 pence per litre, and diesel is even higher at £2.14 per litre.
Some drivers may be forced to pay these costs if those are the closest gas stations to them, which could result in more drivers having to give up their car.
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