The amount of gas an idling car uses varies depending on engine type, size, etc. Transit buses consume the most gas while idling, nearly 1 gallon per hour. A car driving 65 MPH that gets 25 MPG uses about 1.6 gallons of gas per hour. On average, an idling average compact uses around 90% less gas than one that is being driven.
See the table below:
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| VEHICLE TYPE | FUEL TYPE | ENGINE SIZE (LITER) |
APPROXIMATE VEHICLE WEIGHT (LBS) | APPROXIMATE IDLING FUEL USAGE (GAL/HR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact Sedan | Gas | 2 | 3,000 | 0.16 |
| Large Sedan | Gas | 4.6 | 4,500 | 0.39 |
| Compact Sedan | Diesel | 2 | 3,000 | 0.17 |
| Medium Heavy Truck | Gas | 5-7 | 23,000 | 0.84 |
| Delivery Truck | Diesel | – | 20,000 | 0.84 |
| Tow Truck | Diesel | – | 25,000 | 0.59 |
| Medium Heavy Truck | Diesel | 6-10 | 28,000 | 0.44 |
| Transit Bus | Diesel | – | 30,000 | 0.97 |
| Combination Truck | Diesel | – | 32,000 | 0.49 |
| Bucket Truck | Diesel | – | 37,000 | 0.90 |
| Tractor-Semitrailer | Diesel | – | 80,000 | 0.64 |
INTERESTING FACTS
- It takes millions of years for fossil fuels to develop.
- The fossil fuels we use today began forming during the Carboniferous Period, which was before dinosaurs ruled the Earth.
- Around 90% of our energy comes from fossil fuels.
INTERESTING VIDEO
INTERESTING REFERENCES
- U.S. Department of Energy – Fact #861 February 23, 2015, Idle Fuel Consumption for Selected Gasoline and Diesel Vehicles
- SoftSchools.com – Fossil Fuel Fun Facts
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