How does a car's airconditioner rob you of gas milage?

Question

How does a car's airconditioner rob you of gas milage?

Answer 1

when you turn it on the compressor kicks on and is driven off the motor by the serpentine belt and it puts an extra load on the engine.

Answer 2

It takes a compressor to compress the Gas used to chill the air (freon). In order to run the compressor, a belt takes some of the engine power.  The same way a generator gets its power fom a belt driven wheel.  So when you start your car from a battery that has been charged by by the generator the cycle starts over, as you drive the generator charges the Battery, powers the electrical system, drives the compressor when A/C is selected, using power from the engine to drve the belt .that turns the wheel that compreses the gas, that chills the air, that then is forced through ductwork into vehicle by a fan, that is powered by the generator that ....

Answer 3

It takes some of the horsepower from the motor to run the AC.

Answer 4

If puts more load on the engine needing more fuel to overcome

Answer 5

fuel is required to run the fans that air condition the car and cool the air. Therefore the engine diverts power to the fans using more fuel.