Anyone who travels a lot by car also uses a lot of fuel. But if you know the worst gas guzzlers in your car, you can save a lot of money.
Driving is becoming more and more expensive. It’s worth knowing the biggest fuel guzzlers in your own car so that you can save on one or two corners.
That’s how much fuel the heated seats, navigation system, etc. swallow.
In a recent study, the ADAC found out which electronic devices increase fuel consumption when driving.
To explain: All devices in the car require energy. This energy is generated by the well-known alternator, which generates electricity and then charges the starter battery. The more electricity the alternator has to supply, the harder the combustion engine has to work to drive it. The harder the engine works, the higher the fuel consumption.
The ADAC’s rule of thumb is that with an output of 100 watts, consumption increases by 0.1 liters per hundred kilometers. But how much does seat heating, for example, use?
During the winter months, the seat heaters run at full speed. But it’s not just the seats that can now be comfortably heated, as the exterior mirrors, front and rear windows and the steering wheel also have built-in heating systems in newer models. According to ADAC calculations, together with the ventilation, these quickly reach 500 watts, which would result in an additional fuel consumption of 0.5 liters. These values can vary from vehicle to vehicle, but as a first guide they can be useful to many drivers.
Air conditioning systems are real fuel guzzlers. Depending on whether it is a fully automatic, semi-automatic or manual model, the additional consumption can be between 10 and 15 percent. In the city, this value can even rise to 20 percent.
What does the ADAC advise?
To reduce fuel consumption, the ADAC recommends switching off all electrical devices that are not absolutely needed while driving and only activating them when necessary. For example, it is sufficient to only let the rear window heater run until it is completely free of ice.
But there are other very simple methods to reduce the fuel consumption of your own vehicle, because every kilogram of additional weight needs fuel. Therefore, vehicle owners should always ensure that the vehicle is free of rubbish or other unnecessary ballast.
Driving style also has a huge impact on fuel consumption, as hard acceleration causes fuel consumption to skyrocket. For this reason, you should try to maintain the desired speed for as long as possible. Accordingly, an adjusted speed not only saves fuel, but is also a lot safer, as constant driving in the fast lane becomes unnecessary.
Editorial team finanzen.net