Manufacturers of air conditioners and cars will certainly fight to reduce fuel consumption. Behr specialists have calculated, that in Germany with an average way of exploitation (the influence of climatic conditions and the realities of road traffic was taken into account) the car drives annually 15 000 km and consumes by approx 93 liters of fuel more than the same car without air conditioning. The average fuel consumption therefore increases by approx 0,62 dm3na 100 km or to put it differently by approx 5-8%. For example, driving with the windows open at speed 80 km / h increases fuel consumption by approx 0,2 dm3na 100 km. Of course, the energy consumption of the compressor is a decisive factor – ok. 68 dm3, the rest falls on the energy consumption of the fans and the increase in vehicle weight caused by the installation of air conditioning.
The aforementioned regulation of the evaporation temperature has an extremely beneficial effect on the energy balance of the air conditioning system and, in the opinion of experts, offers the greatest possible fuel savings. (estimated in the Behr company's analysis at approx 16,5 dm3 of fuel per year). Further savings are hidden in the optimization of the fans and the limitation of the operating range of the air conditioner (np. when the ambient temperature is above 10 ° C). In addition, the use of a new generation of expansion valves brings some benefits, installation of a subcooler with a condenser, or the use of an additional heat exchanger in the refrigeration circuit (between hot and cold conductors). New materials make it possible to further reduce the weight of individual components. Summarizing, It seems possible already in the near future to reduce fuel consumption by approx 25%.