Why you can save a lot of fuel in the summer with this button

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It all revolves around a small button: on it you see an icon of a car with an arrow in it. What is that button for? Many drivers don’t know this, but it activates the recirculation mode of your air conditioning and heater in the car. This is primarily intended to keep polluted or even toxic air out of the car. This can come in handy when, for example, you drive into a tunnel or get caught in a traffic jam.

Easier cooling

This recirculation mode not only keeps odors out of the car. It also makes it easier to cool the air inside the car. This is because the air conditioner does not have to constantly process hot or humid air from outside.

Also read: Heat wave? This is what you should and should not do with your car

Your car’s air conditioning system is powered by the engine. When the A/C doesn’t have to work as hard, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard, and you’ll notice that in fuel consumption. In the case of an electric car, you’ll notice an increase in battery power and your range.

Save fuel

Some studies show that recirculation mode can provide fuel savings of up to 10 percent. The difference is especially noticeable if you make a lot of short trips. In that case, the air conditioner has to work hard to cool your car down considerably in a short period of time.

You can also give the air conditioning in your car a helping hand by first opening the windows well when driving off in a warm car. It is best to do this until the air from your vents feels cooler than the outside temperature.

Fresh air

Are you making a longer drive? Then it is wise not to turn on the recirculation mode continuously. This is because you are limiting the supply of fresh air. This increases the percentage of carbon dioxide in your car, which in turn can lead to fatigue, poor concentration or reduced reaction time.