Forget Gas Apps: A Simple 10-Minute Solution That Increases Your Fuel Efficiency by 12%
Gas prices haven’t been great in the US the past few years, and if you’re a millennial or young adult trying to make every dollar count, you’ve probably already figured out how much your commute is costing you, or maybe you’ve switched to a rewards credit card for gas, or you’ve started doing things all together. Smart tricks, but there’s a surprisingly simple solution that most drivers completely overlook. One that sits right on top of their car the whole time.If you have a roof rack or roof box that you’re not using, removing it can increase your car’s fuel efficiency by up to 12%. Yes true. Do you remember that crossbar setup you installed for a camping weekend last fall? It’s been draining your gas budget ever since.The science is very clear on this.a search, Effect of auto roof rack on fuel consumptionFound that roof racks are responsible for approximately 100 million gallons of additional gasoline consumed by the US Light-duty vehicle fleet. This is not a rounding error; This is a national level fuel problem that is weighing on everyday commuters.At the individual vehicle level, the same study found a fuel consumption penalty of 0–25% for passenger cars depending on rack configuration and driving speed. An empty rack on the highway still eats up about 1% of your fuel savings. Load it with gears, and that number can reach 25% at 70 mph.A study published in SAE International Journal of Passenger Cars Found that adding a rooftop cargo box to a Toyota Corolla increased fuel consumption by 8.8% in the city driving cycle and by 20.8% in the highway driving cycle. Even an SUV, the Ford Explorer, in the same study was hit with a 6.2% highway fine. Smaller, lighter cars always suffer more shock.
Researchers found that removing empty racks is a more effective fuel-saving strategy than purchasing an aerodynamic rack. Image Credit: Google Gemini
Why is your roof rack basically a fuel tax?The villain is aerodynamic drag. Anything you put on top of the car will disrupt the airflow that the car was designed to cut through. The faster you go, the worse it will be. Your engine has to work harder to fight that resistance.This is why driving on the highway has the biggest impact on efficiency. If you spend a lot of time driving on the freeway, whether it’s your daily commute or frequent road trips, an unused roof rack is quietly working against you the whole time. Even city driving is not completely free from drag penalties.The second thing you will want to know is the weight. Every additional 100 pounds you carry reduces fuel economy by about 1%. Compact and mid-sized cars are the first choice of many young drivers, and they are more impacted by extra weight than larger vehicles. That roof box you left loaded with old camping gear is not only heavy on your roof, it’s also heavy on your efficiency.While you’re at it, check your trunk tooOnce you’ve dealt with what’s on the roof, it’s worth checking out what’s living in your trunk. A gym bag you never take, a bag of returns you forget to drop off, an extra set of equipment transferred two years ago, it all adds up. One of the easiest ways to shed some unwanted pounds from your car is to get rid of the junk in your trunk.The big picture for a generation that cares about both money and milesFor Millennials and young adults struggling with student loans, high rent and fluctuating gas prices, fuel efficiency is no luxury. This is a financial strategy. The good news: One of the most impactful adjustments you can make won’t cost you anything, just ten minutes or so in your driveway.Remove rack. Keep it in the garage until you’re ready for it. Your car might not say thank you, but your gas bill will notice.