Impact of the Vehicle Air Conditioning on Fuel Consumption under Real-world Conditions

This study aims to determine the Air Conditioning (A/C) impact on fuel consumption in light-duty vehicles under real-world conditions. Light-duty passenger vehicles were monitored, second by second, under their regular driving for a 5-month campaign each. The results show that at low vehicle speeds, the A/C adds up to 59% on fuel consumption. As the speed increases, the relative difference in fuel consumption (with and without A/C) decreases, reaching a point where it is negligible.