Roof Rack Affect Gas Mileage

6 0 l 100 km approx.

Roof rack affect gas mileage.

Since then i dont run around with a rack or crossbars unless i am using them. 39 mpg thus the cargo box on the roof increased fuel consumption by about 5 compared to the baseline. 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. How much does a bike roof rack affect gas mileage.

A roof rack with bikes attached greatly decreases gas mileage. A few years ago i checked my economy with and without rack over a few thousand miles and i was taking a hwy 10 mpg hit with a rack installed. He found that compared to the baseline of no roof rack the empty rack reduced his mpg by 12 7 and the roof rack with a bicycle reduced it by a whooping 27 3. Their study was published recently in the.

The empty roof rack had a nearly 2 percent impact on fuel economy which translates to a little more than three quarters of a gallon of gas. 5 6 l 100 km approx. If most of your driving is freeway and you re worried about 2mpg then take the cross bars off when not in use. 5 9 l 100 km approx.

The same of course applies to roof racks and other cargo accessories. Any roof carrier will cut your mpg significantly. Using a roof rack and toting bulky equipment on top of your car isn t the only thing affecting your gas mileage however. A five percent change in fuel economy is worth 75 each year or 375 in five years.

Removing racks or at least cross members also makes it quieter inside the vehicle especially at higher speeds. Roof rails will not effect mpg cross bars may to some degree and mostly is not only while traveling at a freeway speeds. 40 mpg roof mounted thule xtender 739 ski carrier with skis. Gas mileage may drop by as much as 30 percent.

If you re traveling with your bikes attached to your roof you ll have to stop more often for gas. Mileage went from 41 mpg at 65 mph to 40 mpg. 42 mpg roof rack with thule dynamic 800 aerodynamic cargo box.