Drivers have been warned to not press the air conditioning button as it can increase fuel usage by up to 20%.
Scorching weather has arrived on Merseyside with temperatures expected to reach 28C today. The sweltering conditions have prompted the Met Office to issue an amber heat alert.
The warning is in place until the end of Sunday and forecasters expect "health, transport and infrastructure" to be impacted. Temperatures are already beginning to rise and are expected to peak on Friday thanks to the influence of high pressure.
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Many motorists will be reaching for the air conditioning button and opening the windows to cool down during the sweltering temperatures. However, this could prove costly as air conditioning is very energy intensive, while open windows can increase the drag of the car, making the car work harder and burn through the fuel quicker - as The Express reports.
While both can be used, there are points at which one or the other is more beneficial to the driver and the car. Chris Evans, head of content at Leasing.com, highlighted the benefits of using both air conditioning and having the windows open.
He referenced a 2004 study by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), which looked at the impact of windows open against air conditioning in larger saloons and SUVs. In the study, there were plenty of variables including how much the windows were open, the aerodynamics of the different cars and how long someone might use the air conditioning.
He said: “Using AC can increase your fuel consumption by as much as 10% but opening the windows at higher speeds can increase fuel consumption by as much as 20%.” A number of other studies have also followed, one of which found that hybrid car fuel economy is harder hit by air con use than conventional combustion-only cars.
More research, from Emissions Analytics, found that the impact of air conditioning on hybrid fuel economy was almost twice as much. Fuel efficiency dropped 6.1% in a hybrid car on average, compared to just 3.8% for standard petrol car and 4.6% for a diesel.
Mr Evans continued: "Things get a bit more complicated when you are in bumper-to-bumper traffic. In these situations, it is probably best to avoid using air con or opening your windows. However we know that in hot conditions that might be uncomfortable, so as a solution you could turn on the air con but close your air vents.
“The air con merely recycles the cabin air rather than drawing the air from outside, where there is nose-to-tail line of traffic all belching out exhaust fumes.” Other options for keeping the car cooler and not relying on air conditioning include parking in the shade or in a garage.
Tinted windows could also provide benefits for drivers, as will heat deflectors. A car window tint can effectively reduce the heat given off by direct sunlight by as much as 70% inside a car.
Since the car will be cooler, drivers may be less likely to use the AC.
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