Drivers are being urged to follow a little-known ventilation trick which will cool your car down without having to rely on air conditioning too much. You may not be aware, but using air con while driving in hot weather can considerably increase fuel consumption - with motoring experts estimating that a vehicle can use between eight to ten percent more fuel when the cool air is blowing.
However, to balance things out, drivers are advised to keep the AC cranked high on the especially hot days - to make sure they don't become drowsy at the wheel. With that in mind, Dorry Potter -car and scrappage expert for National Scrap Car - told the Daily Express about a little-known hack which will allow your air con to work less hard.
The expert explained that hot air should be removed from the car before the cooling system kicks in to help save fuel. Ms Potter said: “Although fuel prices are at an all-time high and rising at the moment it is important to stay safe while driving in the extreme heat we are and will be experiencing in the UK this summer.
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“Getting overheated while driving can cause lack of concentration and could even cause some to pass out if it gets too much. This is why it is important to use your air conditioning while driving this summer.”
The expert added: “You can make it more efficient by helping your car to expel hot air before starting it. Fan the doors to help move the warm air out of the car. Then while the air-con gets to work keep all windows open while driving until the air from the fans feels cool.”
Additionally, Ms Potter also urged motorists to implement other fuel-saving techniques to help both safe fuel and increase road safety. These include things like driving sensibly and making sure that tyres are adequately inflated.
The expert added: “Make sure you travel with water in the car too so you can remain hydrated and where possible avoid travelling during the peak sun hours.”
Other ways to save your vehicle from mass humidity include parking in the shade and buying a reflective windscreen cover to deflect the sun and its UV rays. Ms Potter continued: “Parking in a shaded area, as opposed to a spot in the sun, will help the inside of the car stay cooler.
“Purchase a reflective windscreen shade, these fit behind your visors and stop the sun beaming down on the car and heating the interior. These actions will help the air inside the car feel cooler which will mean less effort is needed to cool the interior with air-con, saving fuel.
“If you have a dark coloured interior such as black seats, it is also advisable that you purchase either light colour car seat covers or cooling mats for your seats.”
The latest RAC Fuel Watch indicates that both the price of petrol and the price of diesel are likely to drop. However, at present they still remain high.
Drivers are expected to pay 188.76p per litre of unleaded, and the situation is even worse for diesel car owners - who have to fork out 196.96 per litre.
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