KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) – It’s something many drivers do on cold days, but it turns out they are wasting both time and money.
Auto experts say people who drive modern cars do not need to let their vehicles warm up before they get behind the wheel and hit the road.
Experts call the practice one of the biggest misconceptions.
The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection’s Transportation and Air Quality office said people who drive modern vehicles only need to let them warm up for about 30 seconds, not five or ten minutes as many are accustomed.
But it wasn’t always that way.
Expert said older cars, those made decades ago, relied on the carburetor to warm up. Starting in the 1980s, car manufacturers ditched the carburetor in favor of electronic fuel injection. Essentially, that means modern cars warm up faster when on the roadway, even in winter.
The EPA also said that warming up vehicles before driving also lowers fuel economy, noting that idling gets 0 miles per gallon.
For more ways to improve fuel economy during cold weather, visit the EPA’s resource page.
By Brandon Richard, News Reporter
Copyright 2015 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
Auto experts: No need to idle cars when it's cold
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