Air Con in the Car - What's the Deal?

The sun's out, the shades are donned, and the A/C is is turned up to the max - instantly we're feeling cooler - but at what cost?

There are plenty of myths and half-truths doing the rounds about how your vehicle's resources are drained by aircon - so what's the actual deal here?

The truth is this; the air conditioning in your car is powered by a compressor, which, when switched on, places extra load on a car’s engine. This ultimately has a negative affect on the overall performance and efficiency. You can expect a 5-10% increase in fuel consumption by switching the air conditioning system on. Not dramatic enough to install a portable air conditioning device, such as a fan, pointing at your face but enough to make a difference.

But there are ways to limit its inefficiency; climate control systems in cars also include an air conditioner which automatically varies the amount of air conditioning depending on specific temperature set by the driver. Should you have a car with climate control, pressing ‘econ’ should switch off the air conditioning compressor, allowing you to drive more economically.

Many car manufacturers recommend that you keep the air-conditioning system on constantly, even if you are not using it to produce cold air. By continually circulating the coolant within the system all the parts are kept lubricated and in working order.