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How much electricity does a car wash use?

Hi! My family and I are taking small steps to do our part for the environment, but something that I just love to do is get my car washed at the local gas station. However, I’m wondering how much energy the wash uses every time I bring my car in. Can you tell me how much electricity a car wash uses?

avatar
Elaine Duvet · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
I get it! Car washes are fast, convenient, and downright fun to watch from inside your car. While
taking care of your vehicle
is important, car wash machinery does use either gas or electricity to effectively clean your vehicle.
Here’s what we know about how much electricity a car wash uses:
  • For exterior car washes such as Exterior Only or Exterior Rollover, the average cost is about $0.50 to $1.00 in electricity.
  • You’ll also find plenty of car washes that utilize natural gas for heating air and water. Natural gas costs about 12 cents.
  • In a typical week, about 30,600 kWh of energy is consumed. And per car on an automated wash, about 10 gallons per minute of water is used!
Now that you have a better idea of the amount of energy consumed every time you use your local car wash, you can make the best decision about how many times you visit a month. Hand washing your vehicle can also be a fun option to get the whole family involved!
Make sure you’re also making informed decisions when it comes to your car insurance. Most of us are overpaying for our policy each month, and we don’t even know it! If you’ve got questions about your coverage, download the
Jerry
app. Jerry’s experienced and friendly team of agents are here to answer your questions and provide advice on the best coverage options.** Jerry users save an average of over $800 a year. **
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