Energy Quiz Answers

1. TRUE: Light-duty vehicles, including the family car, account for about 17 per cent of Canada's total carbon dioxide emissions, as well as other pollutants. The average car produces 2.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide for every litre of gasoline used.

2. TRUE: EnerGuide has come to the automotive world. The EnerGuide label will show you the vehicle's fuel consumption rating and estimated annual fuel costs.

3. TRUE: The weight and friction of the additional drivetrain parts in a four-wheel drive vehicle impose a significant penalty in fuel consumption – especially when you consider that most people never use the vehicle for off-road travel.

4. TRUE: Cruise control allows the vehicle to maintain a reasonable and consistent speed - which is safe, fuel-efficient driving.

5. FALSE: European studies have shown that aggressive driving saves little time and can increase fuel consumption by 39 per cent. The safer, more fuel-efficient option is to accelerate smoothly and maintain a steady speed.

6. FALSE: For most vehicles, increasing your speed from 100 km/h to 120 km/h will boost fuel consumption by about 20 per cent. On the other hand, reducing your speed from 100 km/h to 90 km/h (the optimum speed) improves fuel economy by about 10 per cent.

7. TRUE: Air conditioning draws a lot of power from the engine. The effect is even more severe on smaller engines.

8. FALSE: At highway speeds, open windows or sunroofs increase aerodynamic drag - and that makes the engine work harder and consume more fuel.

9. FALSE: Idling can be hard on an engine because fuel combustion is incomplete and some fuel residues condense on cylinder walls. It is also hard on the environment because the catalytic converter does not reach its peak operating temperature, which means that emissions are escaping from the tailpipe.

10. TRUE: Proper maintenance is crucial for fuel efficiency. Even something as minor as a dirty air filter or under-inflated tire can increase fuel consumption.