Weather forecasts have revealed that the UK is set for another heatwave with temperatures expected to exceed 30C in some areas. The Met Office says that central and southern England, particularly, will be impacted by the scorching conditions for several days, and with that, car experts have issued a warning to motorists regarding using their air conditioning to keep themselves cool on journeys. While many people will have to brace the heat while travelling in their vehicles, experts have warned that many drivers are using their air conditioning in a way that wastes fuel.
Motoring experts at LeaseLoco.com, a car leasing comparison website, explained that immediately turning the air conditioner on full blast only forces the car to work harder and that using it on short journeys can actually increase a car's fuel consumption by 10%.
This is because the air conditioning can take a while to circulate properly, as the system needs time to cool down the air being pushed through the vents.
John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco.com, said: "When you turn the AC on in your car it can take a while for the system to get going because it needs to make the refrigerant cold. This is the fluid that is used to cool the air.
"Once the fluid is cool, it's then blown through the vents to cool the car down but replacing all of that warm air can take some time. It can take even longer if your car has been parked in the sun previously.
"This makes your car hotter and means the air conditioning has to work even harder in cooling the car down, which is why it's best to park in the sun or use sunshades."
Fortunately, the experts explained what you should do instead to keep yourself cool when driving in the hot weather.
If you're on a short journey, John recommends ditching the air con, explaining that "you're actually better off" opening the window than waiting for the AC to kick in, as it will be "much more efficient" and you won't be using any more fuel. Whereas if you’re driving in an area that exceeds 40mph, that is when you'll want to switch to using air conditioning.
He added: "Driving at higher speeds with your windows open can create a drag which will make your engine work much harder and will ultimately cause your car to use more fuel."
Some other tips the expert offered include airing out your car first by rolling down the windows before putting the air conditioning on. This will give your air con less work and allow your car to cool faster.
Motorists should also start driving ahead of putting the aircon on as it works best when the engine is running. Additionally, you should keep your windows up if you're using the air con, as having them down will cause all the cool air to escape, making it less effective and causing your car to use more fuel
