Air Conditioning vs. Windows Down - Best Gas Mileage

Will you get better gas mileage with your windows down or with the A/C on? It's a question that's fully dependent on the speed at which you're driving at. At lower speeds, it will be more efficient to lower your windows. At higher speeds, where drag increases exponentially, the drag created from having your windows down will have a higher impact on your efficiency, and thus it will be better to drive with the windows up and the A/C on.

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[ubg]

when its 105 degrees out, try telling your girlfriend that you have the AC off because the engine is .4 percent more efficient. I'm sure she will appreciate it.

[MarkMacRae]

where's the control test? windows up and no AC. that would have been interesting to see.

[Bowlolololin]

I feel like you should have compared your percent differences to a control run with windows up and AC off. Otherwise a great video! Keep up the great work, really want to see the integra get built! 

[lmcdavidkim]

need a negative control: window closed & no ac on.

[Baladibt]

That's Koenigsegg territory right there.

[robbgnarly]

None of this video talked about fuel mileage (except for a short statement at the end, which still didn't really address it). it is talking about power loss and aerodynamics

[DBYNOE]

There's a few problems with this test. One is that the AC compressor is thermostatically controlled and will be on and off with different duty cycles depending on the weather, and the current temp in the car. Second is that some ECMs will cut out the compressor under various power demands, possibly WOT, but who knows. The window drag can also change by wind conditions, and, as you mentioned, car specific aerodynamics.

[Guitarfollower]

Your channel and videos are so underrated.

More pople should watch your videos for a greater education and information on vehicles' parts and how everything works.

Couldn't even tell you how much I've learned from you.

Great video, keep 'em up man. Merry (belated) christmas!

[RobinRhyne]

It's Texas, it's July, I'll live with the A/C on and windows up. Still, always good to break it down.

[benvolio]

would have been interesting to see a control run of no air con and windows up

[Kiddomike]

However, I could not do this in the Philippines. Hot sun, humid weather and air pollution are just some of the factors that would make us, drivers, close our windows and put the A/C on full.

[Deathincart]

my reaction to this video looking in my subscription feed, "omg no way, this is why he's the best I have been wondering that for a while" awesome stuff man keep up the good work, love it!

[Abitibidoug]

Good experiment! Your results show what I've heard and read elsewhere that less fuel was used for the windows open rather than AC at lower speeds but less so at higher speeds. At highway speeds the AC is the better choice, it also creates a lot less wind noise.

[Leonardokite]

I had a 4Runner and with the back window down you had a whole new dynamics. You had a really awesome flow through in that situation.

[YusufSheth]

Excellent. I think another fun supplementary analysis to have done would have been to see how much power your system pulled at minimal A/C and fan, just fan, max fan, etc.. I recognise this varies a lot by car, but it would have been a good addition to your video.

[bargainboondocker]

Thank you for the video.
I read a while back a general rule of thumb is up to 45 MPH open the windows, if you're running consistently above 45 MPH turn on the AC. That's the rule we use and it seems to work well and you don't have to overthink it.

[kedwa]

It would have been interesting to see the results of the windows up and AC off. Also, it's possible to set the console fan to pull in air from outside without the AC on, so you can get cool that way without opening any windows and also without turning on AC. Great video! Keep 'em coming!

[divdac]

Don't have this problem in northern Canada. 

[vasekvi]

Don't some cars (or most) disengage the AC compressor at WOT?

[FourTwenny]

To be fair, i think most people would only have their windows down a few inches at most while doing highway speed. Or one window just opened a bit with another a few inches. This would lower the drag quite a bit i would imagine.