More miles until empty in summer months

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - As we head into warmer months, you may have noticed your fuel efficiency increasing as you see the amount of miles you have left until empty become larger. So, what causes your miles per gallon to rise in summer and fall in winter? It’s common knowledge that all gas engines need fuel and oxygen in order to function properly. Without these two ingredients, there would be no combustion and you simply would not be able to get from point a to point b. But what causes us to get from our departure point to our destination more efficently during the summer months? It all comes down to temperature and it’s affect on the eighth element on the periodical table. Yes, that would be oxygen. When the temperature is cold, as it is in winter, oxygen gas molecules are closer together. An engine works so that the more oxygen sucked in, the more gas is used. This provides more power to a vehicle. This is the reason why people add cold air intake systems to their fast cars. They want to make them even faster. The opposite is true for summer months when the air is hot. Oxygen molecules are spread out and the engine takes in less oxygen per gulp. Less oxygen means less fuel is used. This adds up to a longer distance on one tank of gas. Tempertaure also affects tire pressure which affects resistance and in turn affects fuel efficiency as well. So, there you have it. Thanks to temperature, you can go the extra mile for your summer vacation.

Copyright 2023 KSNB. All rights reserved.