roop_the_loop
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- Joined
- Mar 6, 2013
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- Your Mercedes
- E220 CDI BlueEff SE, 7G auto, estate (S212), 2012
Does anyone know of a source of hard facts on whether and how much using air con adds to fuel consumption? I've heard a range of opinions from 'hardly any' to 'a lot', and once I read somewhere that it would be of the order of a few per cent, but all that seems fairly anecdotal to me. Also, surely it must depend on a range of factors like the size/power of the engine, the efficiency (however that is measured) of the A/C unit, the relative difference between the outdoor and indoor temperature, maybe even driving speed, etc.
Today the outside temperature is around 30C, and my interior is set at 19C. Even on a one-hour-drive the climate control never seems to reach the target 19C, instead it keeps blasting cold(ish) air constantly. But my fuel economy seems if anything a bit better than usual, possibly because of the warm weather and hence the engine being warm pretty much from the start.
Today the outside temperature is around 30C, and my interior is set at 19C. Even on a one-hour-drive the climate control never seems to reach the target 19C, instead it keeps blasting cold(ish) air constantly. But my fuel economy seems if anything a bit better than usual, possibly because of the warm weather and hence the engine being warm pretty much from the start.