Black or white?

[Tim Jodice]

The two colors I like are black and white, I like black a little bit more my question is how much harder is it to cool a black car in the summer and how much does it help heat it in the winter. All but the very hot and humid days in the summer I drive with my window down instead of A/C.

 

[jeffand]

You realy don't want black as a color on a car. The suns rays will heat the interior when the car is parked more quickly and to higher heat levels. The air conditioning has to work harder and longer to remove the heat. Go with a light color like white or silver. I would also invest in one of those reflective sun shades for the front window. Black also shows any scraches quite well.

 

[Tim Jodice]

Another way to think about it, is range in the cold less than in the heat? No question it takes more energy to cool a black car in the summer but how much less energy does it take to heat a black car in the winter?

 

[EVA]

Tim - that's a tough question, and a pretty darn interesting one at that.

The other way to look at it, in the winter it tends to be cloudy more frequently and your car might be covered with snow - the solar heat gained by the black might not pan out very often.

It is true that the heater uses more energy than the air conditioning. A black car is going to be a lot hotter in the summer than a white or silver car. So the air conditioner might have to work really hard in the summer with the black car.

There is a movement to make roofs of buildings white for energy efficency. I'd follow that cue myself.

On the other hand, that tuxedo black is darn pretty. And so is the platiumn white and ingot silver.