Is it more fuel-efficient to use air-conditioning rather than driving with the windows down?

“Driving with the AC on will always cost you a fortune in fuel.”

Myth Busting:

While it’s true that running your AC does use extra fuel, the impact isn’t as dramatic as many believe. Modern vehicles are designed to be more efficient, including the air conditioning systems, which means they don’t guzzle gas as much as older models did.

Reality Check:

• City vs. Highway: The fuel cost of using AC is higher in city driving, where you frequently stop and go, but on the highway, it’s often more efficient to use the AC than to drive with the windows down, which increases drag.

• Fuel-Efficient Compressors: Newer cars come with variable displacement compressors, which adjust their workload based on the car’s needs. This means your AC isn’t running at full blast all the time, significantly reducing its impact on fuel consumption.

• Recirculate Mode: When driving in recirculate mode, the AC works more effectively because it’s repeatedly cooling already-cooled air from inside the car rather than hot air from outside, which also saves fuel. However, once the air in your vehicle is cool enough, switch to outside air as you need to replace the stale air (laden with plenty of Carbon Dioxide, which can make you drowsy) with fresh air.

So, unless you’re blasting your AC on max all the time in a vintage car, you’re not draining your gas tank as fast as you think.

A cool car doesn’t have to come at a steep price!