Drivers urged to save money on fuel with simple trick or risk consumption rising 'by more than 25 per cent'

According to one expert, when driving on the motorway at higher speeds having the windows down can create more drag, which makes the car use more fuel.

When driving, the vehicle can move through the air more easily if the driver keeps the window closed, as the air conditioning will actually help save fuel.

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Darren Miller from BigWantsYourCar.com explained that when deciding whether to use air conditioning or open windows in your car, drivers should think about how fast they are travelling and where they are.

When driving at lower speeds, it is more efficient to have the windows open rather than using the air conditioning.

He said: "It lets fresh air flow through the car, which means you won't need to use the air conditioning as much as using a lot of air conditioning can make your car use more fuel, by more than 25 per cent."

Meanwhile, allowing the hot air to escape a car before turning on the air conditioning can also help improve the effectiveness of cooling down the vehicle.

This helps the system get a head start in cooling down the interior, which can ultimately lead to quicker and more efficient cooling without using too much energy from the air conditioner, Miller added.

By starting the air conditioning at a lower setting can also conserve fuel by reducing the immediate strain on the engine.

This can allow the car to cool “gradually and efficiently” without unnecessary energy consumption.

In another cost-saving trick, Miller stated that turning on recirculation mode within the car can help maintain its coolness by preventing hot air from getting into the cabin.

He said: “Instead of just aiming the air at your face, it's better to spread it out so that everyone in the car feels comfortable.

“This will help the air conditioning system work better overall and means you use less energy on air conditioning.”

To keep their AC in working condition, the RAC suggested that drivers should get it serviced and potentially even a change of refrigerant gas should be done every two years.

Refrigerant levels control the temperature of a car through air conditioning, drivers should also make sure they are well serviced or could risk blowing warm air.

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A study by Emissions Analytics found that the impact of AC on hybrid fuel economy was almost twice as much, with fuel efficiency dropping by 6.1 per cent in a hybrid car compared to just 3.8 per cent for a standard petrol car and 4.6 per cent for a diesel.