As temperatures dips below freezing, your mileage can drop as much as 22 percent for a gas-powered vehicle and 34 percent for a hybrid or electric vehicle.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cold weather affects your vehicle in more ways than you might expect. Did you know …
- It takes longer for your engine to reach its most fuel-efficient temperature. This affects shorter trips more, since your car spends more of your trip at less-than-optimal temperatures.
- Warming up your vehicle before you start your trip lowers your fuel economy. Idling gets zero miles per gallon.
- Colder air is denser, increasing aerodynamic drag on your vehicle, especially at highway speeds.
- Engine and transmission friction increase in cold temperatures due to cold engine oil and other drive-line fluids.
- Heated seats, window defroster and heater fans use additional power.
- Tire pressure decreases in colder temperatures, increasing rolling resistance.
- Winter grades of gasoline can have slightly less energy per gallon than summer blends.
- Battery performance decreases in cold weather, making it harder for your alternator to keep your battery charged. This also affects the performance of the regenerative braking system on hybrids.
- In severe winter weather, your mpg can drop even further. Icy or snow-covered roads decrease your tires’ grip on the road, wasting energy.
- Safe driving speeds on slick roads can be much lower than normal, further reducing fuel economy, especially at speeds below 30 to 40 mph.
- Using four-wheel drive uses more fuel.
To get the best fuel economy, try these tips from the EPA:
- Park your car in a warmer place, such as your garage, to increase the initial temperature of your engine and cabin.
- Combine trips when possible so that you drive less often with a cold engine.
- Minimize idling your car to warm it up. Most manufacturers recommend driving off gently after about 30 seconds. The engine will warm up faster being driven, which will allow the heat to turn on sooner, decrease your fuel costs and reduce emissions.
- Don’t use seat warmers or defrosters more than necessary.
- Check your tire pressure regularly.
- Use the type of oil recommended by your manufacturer for cold weather driving.
- When not in use, remove accessories that increase wind resistance like roof racks.
- If you drive a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle, preheating the cabin while plugged into the charger can extend your vehicle’s range.
- If you drive a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle, using the seat warmers instead of the cabin heater can save energy and extend driving range.
Wakati joto la hewa linapopungua chini ya kiwango cha baridi, mileage inaweza kupungua hadi asilimia 22 kwa gari linaloendeshwa na gesi na asilimia 34 kwa gari la umeme au la mseto. Kulingana na Shirika la Ulinzi wa Mazingira (EPA), hali ya hewa baridi huathiri gari lako kwa njia nyingi kuliko unavyoweza kutarajia. Je, unajua... - Inachukua muda mrefu kwa injini yako kufikia joto lake zaidi ya mafuta-efficient. Hii inahusu safari fupi zaidi, kwani gari lako hutumia zaidi ya safari yako kwa joto la chini ya bora. - Kuongeza joto la gari lako kabla ya kuanza safari yako hupunguza matumizi ya mafuta. Idling hupata maili sifuri kwa galoni. - Hewa baridi ni dense zaidi, kuongeza aerodynamic drag juu ya gari yako, hasa katika kasi ya barabara kuu. - injini na uhamisho msuguano kuongezeka katika joto baridi kutokana na mafuta baridi injini na nyingine drive-line kioevu. - Viti vyenye joto, defroster ya dirisha na mashabiki wa joto hutumia nguvu ya ziada. - Shinikizo la tairi hupungua katika joto baridi, na hivyo kuongeza upinzani wa magurudumu. - Aina za mafuta ya majira ya baridi kali zinaweza kuwa na nishati kidogo kwa galoni kuliko mchanganyiko wa majira ya joto. Battery ya umeme hupungua wakati wa baridi, na inafanya iwe vigumu kwa alternator yako kuweka betri yako. Hii pia huathiri utendaji wa mfumo wa kurejeshwa wa breki kwenye magari ya hybrids. - Katika hali mbaya ya hewa ya majira ya baridi kali, mpg yako inaweza kushuka hata zaidi. Barabara zenye barafu au zenye theluji hupunguza mwendo wa magurudumu yako barabarani, na hivyo kupoteza nishati. - Kasi ya kuendesha gari salama kwenye barabara zenye mteremko inaweza kuwa chini sana kuliko kawaida, ikipunguza zaidi uchumi wa mafuta, haswa kwa kasi chini ya 30 hadi 40 mph. - Kutumia gari lenye magurudumu manne hutumia mafuta mengi zaidi. Ili kupata uchumi bora wa mafuta, jaribu vidokezo hivi kutoka EPA: Park gari lako katika mahali pa joto, kama vile karakana yako, ili kuongeza joto la awali la injini yako na kabini. - Kuunganisha safari inapowezekana ili uendeshe mara chache zaidi na injini baridi. - Punguza muda wa kuendesha gari lako ili liwe moto. Wauzaji wengi wanapendekeza kuendesha gari polepole baada ya sekunde 30. Injini itapanda joto haraka wakati wa kuendesha gari, ambayo itaruhusu joto kugeuka mapema, kupunguza gharama za mafuta na kupunguza uzalishaji. - Usitumie joto la kiti au defrosters zaidi ya lazima. - Chunguza shinikizo la tairi zako kwa ukawaida. - Tumia aina ya mafuta iliyopendekezwa na mtengenezaji wako kwa ajili ya kuendesha gari wakati wa baridi. - Wakati si katika matumizi, kuondoa vifaa kwamba kuongeza upinzani upepo kama vile roof racks. - Kama wewe kuendesha plug-katika hybrid au gari la umeme, preheating cabin wakati plugged katika charger inaweza kupanua gari yako range. - Kama wewe kuendesha plug-katika hybrid au gari umeme, kutumia kiti warmers badala ya cabin heater inaweza kuokoa nishati na kupanua kuendesha gari mbalimbali.