Here is a simple and effective tip to cool the interior of your car in just a few moments without using the air conditioning.
Temperatures above 30 degrees and sometimes well above, in September, are rather rare. These heat waves are particularly difficult to bear on public transport but can also be the case in a car. Do you want to limit the use of air conditioning to cool your cabin? You are right: it is strongly advised not to turn it on full blast as soon as you start the car, especially because this causes fuel consumption to skyrocket. If this is the case, don’t panic, it is possible to cool the cabin of a car differently (yes, air conditioning has not always existed and our elders had ideas!).
In this case, the simplest solution is to open the windows because the outside air is less warm than the inside air. Open them, yes, but not just anyhow. To properly cool the interior of a car that can easily exceed 40 degrees after parking for a few hours in the sun, air circulation is important. If the driver only lowers his window, the benefit will be limited. On the other hand, if he creates a draft, with an inlet and an outlet, then the feeling of stifling heat can dissipate very quickly.
Some studies have shown that the most effective way to cool the interior of a car is to lower two windows diagonally. The driver’s window with the rear passenger window on the right, or the front passenger window with the passenger window on the left of the back seat. The air thus passes through the entire cabin and quickly drops the temperature by several degrees. To create a pleasant airflow, there is no need to lower the windows all the way down, which can sometimes be quite unpleasant due to the noise and the wind that blows in your face. Lowering both windows halfway is more than enough to let a draft pass through.
This technique for cooling the interior of your car is especially interesting for short journeys. Because driving too long with the windows open will significantly affect your consumption level and therefore your fuel costs. Over a long distance, air conditioning is still the best way, although not the most ecological, to drive cool…