Even in 20C heat, the inside of a car can feel like an oven, let alone in 30C heat, which is forecast this month. One free hack helps cool down your car instantly without needing energy-guzzling air conditioning.
According to KwikFit, air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by 8% to 10%, which in translated to about 0.2 to 0.4 litres of fuel per hour. However, data also suggests that air conditioning is actually more fuel-efficient at higher speeds than driving with the windows open, since it creates drag and makes the car less aerodynamic. So this handy hack avoids both options, and starts before you turn the car on.
Instead of just rolling the windows down and hoping for the best, you can create airflow in the car by rolling the windows down, and then rapidly fanning the doors.
This continuous movement helps circulate the air around the car and allows the hot air to move outside the car. In just seconds, the vehicle will feel less stagnant and stuffy.
If you do opt for air conditioning when you get going, KwikFit advised driving for a few minutes with the windows down to rid the cabin of the hot air first, so the system won’t have to work so hard.
Another tip is to place a wet flannel or ice pack on top of the air vents. Even if your car struggles to push out cold air from the vents in warmer temperatures, the cold flannel will help cool the car down.
However, the flannels dry out quite quickly when the air is blowing directly on them, so it’s handy to have a few on standby.
The tips could come in useful towards the end of the month, as temperatures could reach up to 31C on June 27 and 33C on June 28, according to WXCharts weather maps.