The UK is expected to bake under unprecedented high temperatures next week, as the Met Office issues its first ever red weather warning for ‘extreme heat’. In Greater Manchester, the temperatures are expected to reach 32C on Monday and climb to 34C on Tuesday.
In some parts of the UK, the mercury is expected to hit a record-breaking 40C. With these potential record-breaking temperatures expected, many drivers will be utilising their car’s air conditioning system to keep cool.
However, many people many be worried about the true cost of using the internal cooling feature, as the cost-of-living crisis ensures petrol prices remain high. The national average price of petrol currently stands at 189.8p, while diesel is 197.9p, according to Confused.com.
READ MORE: Thirteen ways to stay cool at night that actually work in hot weather
Yesterday it was reported drivers have been lining up to fill up their tanks at the Limes Service Station in Walkden, where fuel is being sold for more than 20p a litre less than the national average,
According to the AA, using the car’s air conditioning does in fact mean using more fuel on top of powering the car. This is caused by the air conditioning system using engine power to cool the air inside the car down.
With this in mind, the AA advises air conditioning should be used sparingly in an effort to conserve fuel and keep running costs down. It says if you do need to use the air conditioning, keep it to short bursts.
A car’s aerodynamic efficiency is not affected by open windows until the vehicle reaches 40mph, so a good idea is to open the window where possible to get cool air circulating. The AA suggest several other ways of using your car to help reduce how much fuel you use and therefore cut running costs, including turning off the engine in traffic when possible, or removing any extra weight to reduce drag.
Tips like these will also help reduce emissions, also known as ‘hypermiling’ or ‘eco-driving’.
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