Does not turning on the air conditioner in winter save fuel? Why does the fuel consumption of cars increase in winter?

In the summer, the air conditioner must be turned on in the car because of the heat, so the fuel consumption is high. In the winter, the fuel consumption is even higher than in the summer, so many people think that it is related to the air conditioner and heater. In fact, this is not the case. So why does the fuel consumption of cars increase in winter?

Does not turning on the air conditioner save fuel in winter?

Not turning on the air conditioner in winter will not save fuel, because the heating supply of the vehicle in winter mainly comes from the engine. The heat discharged from the water tank after the engine is working is transported to the car through the air conditioner. This process does not need to start the compressor first like the air conditioner, so it will not have much impact on fuel consumption.

In other words, the engine will generate heat after working, and the antifreeze in the water tank is needed to dissipate the heat. In winter, the antifreeze not only passes through the engine, but also passes through the heater tank, generating heat at this time. Therefore, whether the heater is turned on or not, it has no effect on fuel consumption.

Why do cars consume more fuel in winter?

1. The temperature is lower in winter, and the viscosity of the engine oil increases after cooling overnight. Therefore, compared with summer, the engine needs to run longer to reach the corresponding operating temperature.

2. We often find that when a cold car starts in winter, the engine speed is high because the temperature is low and the engine will increase the efficiency of the engine in order to reach the correct operating temperature as quickly as possible, thereby increasing fuel consumption.

3. Due to the low temperature and icy road conditions in winter, vehicles travel at low speeds most of the time, which will greatly increase fuel consumption.

4. The car is driven directly without proper preheating, resulting in increased energy consumption.

How to reduce car fuel consumption in winter

1. Be sure to "warm up" the car. After the car starts running for three minutes, drive on the road. Do not step on the accelerator suddenly to ensure a constant and stable driving speed. When the water temperature reaches 90 degrees, you can drive normally.

2. Use high-grade engine oil. The smaller the number in front of the oil grade, the better the low-temperature fluidity of the oil. That is to say, when the car is started at low temperature, the loss of engine energy is effectively reduced.

3. After starting the car, don't rush to turn on the heater directly. It is best to wait for the car to warm up for a few minutes before turning on the heater. This cannot be said to have a significant effect on reducing fuel consumption, but it still has some impact.