What Causes Poor Gas Mileage in Cold Weather?
Engine and Fuel Efficiency One of the main reasons cold weather causes vehicles to get less gas mileage is that car engines run most efficiently at a certain operating temperature. In warm conditions, the engine does not take very long to heat up to this optimal operating temperature, while in cold weather it takes much longer. On shorter car trips, the engine will likely never reach the temperature of peak efficiency during cold weather months. On longer trips, the engine will have time to heat up sufficiently, and fuel economy will improve. Another factor that can affect gas mileage is that during winter months many states require that gas stations sell a different blend of gasoline with more oxygen to reduce potential pollution problems associated with more stagnant winter air. This “winter gas” is often reported to burn somewhat less efficiently than regular gas. Cold Increases Density Cold introduces a number of factors that affect gas millage due to the fact that colder substance
