Roof Racks Raised U.S. Gas Usage By 100M Gallons
Print this Article | Send to Colleague
According to a new study, roof racks may cost drivers as much as 25 percent more in gas usage. Researchers in the first-of-its-kind study discovered that, in 2015, these popular add-ons were accounting for nearly one percent of all light-duty vehicle gasoline consumption. On the surface, it may not sound like much, but it equates to more than 100 million gallons of gas annually.
Americans are also driving more. Motorists set a new record for February logging 232.2 billion miles, which was up 5.6 percent compared with year-ago figures, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
U.S. drivers drove more than ever last year, clocking a record 3.148 trillion miles behind the wheel, according to the Federal Highway Administration. It marked the second consecutive year the number has risen.
However, the biggest problem is the growing popularity of the racks. The survey estimates that the number of racks used on vehicles will rise 200 percent by 2040. Improving fuel economy of new vehicle will not be enough to offset the increased gasoline usage.
Use of roof racks requires vehicles to expend more energy due to aerodynamic drag. While there have been studies of their impact on individual vehicles — depending on the configuration, the fuel consumption penalty can be 0 to 25 percent on passenger cars — this is the first study to estimate impacts at the national level.
The problem is only worsening due to several factors. First and foremost, the number of crossovers and SUVs – the vehicles mostly likely to sport the racks – sold in the U.S. has been on the rise for some time and as long as fuel prices remain low that trend seems unlikely to change.Americans are also driving more. Motorists set a new record for February logging 232.2 billion miles, which was up 5.6 percent compared with year-ago figures, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
U.S. drivers drove more than ever last year, clocking a record 3.148 trillion miles behind the wheel, according to the Federal Highway Administration. It marked the second consecutive year the number has risen.
However, the biggest problem is the growing popularity of the racks. The survey estimates that the number of racks used on vehicles will rise 200 percent by 2040. Improving fuel economy of new vehicle will not be enough to offset the increased gasoline usage.
