Roof Rack Gas Efficiency

Generally adding a loaded roof rack to your car will lower your gas mileage by at least 10 percent.

Roof rack gas efficiency.

Mileage went from 41 mpg at 65 mph to 40 mpg. So if your car usually gets 30 mpg on the highway and you add a full roof rack your highway gas mileage will drop to 24 27 mpg. Using a 2013 honda accord and data provided by consumer reports an empty roof rack will increase the amount you spend on gas by 12 compared to no rack at all assuming highway speeds. Adding any rooftop carrier cargo box or ski rack doesn t come free.

They found that in 2015 roof racks nationwide were responsible for 0 8 percent of light duty vehicle fuel consumption or 100 million gallons of gasoline. The roof rack mpg experiment he compared the gas mileage of his car at 54 7 mph 88 kph with 1 no roof racks 2 an empty roof rack and 3 a mountain bike on the roof rack. Their study was published recently in the journal energy policy in a paper titled fuel consumption impacts of auto roof racks. They found that in 2015 roof racks nationwide were responsible for 0 8 percent of light duty vehicle fuel consumption or 100 million gallons of gasoline.

I am somewhat suspicious of this first figure but it s possible. Some drivers may see their gas mileage drop by as much as 20 percent depending on vehicle type and type of roof rack. A two bike rack with wind deflector will increase your gasoline costs by 36. Their study was published recently in the.

Beyond that the two items tested with the least impact on gas mileage were the paddle board and thule luggage carrier both of which caused about a 19 percent decrease in fuel economy or 5 5. In fact it significantly cuts your highway mileage all the time it s installed whether there s weight up there or not.