Motorists are being urged to fill up on petrol early this week as a wave of warm weather is set to return across the UK, bringing temperatures up to 32C in some southern areas. In Liverpool, conditions will steadily warm up with plenty of sunshine and highs of 29°C expected by Friday.
How Hot Weather Affects Fuel Economy
Many drivers may not realise that fuel levels tend to deplete much faster during intense spells of hot weather. This rapid drop is largely driven by changes in motorist behaviour, such as opening windows or blasting the vehicle's air conditioning system. Research shows that running a car's air conditioning is the primary contributor to reduced fuel economy when the weather heats up. In very hot conditions, heavy use of the system can slash a conventional vehicle's fuel efficiency by more than 25%.
Current Fuel Prices and Advice
Avoiding unnecessary fuel wastage is particularly crucial right now given the continuing high cost of filling up at the pumps. Current figures from the RAC show that average prices remain high, with petrol standing at 154.72p per litre and diesel at 174.30p. Experts warn that your car's fuel gauge can become unreliable in high heat, making normal estimations of remaining fuel inaccurate. Heading to the petrol station ahead of time prevents the nightmare scenario of getting stranded in a traffic jam during a heatwave.
Debunking the Explosion Myth
Some motorists avoid completely topping up their tanks in the summer due to a persistent myth that vehicles could explode in the sunshine. The RAC has explicitly debunked this fear, confirming that modern passenger vehicle fuel systems are safely designed to cope with fuel expansion. While the optimal temperature range for vehicle fuel economy sits between 15C and 20C, efficiency begins to diminish as it gets hotter. Once temperatures climb toward 32C, engine performance can decrease and the overall risk of vehicle overheating increases significantly.
