In absolute terms you are right, the higher the frequency, the higher the consumption (and the temperature) will be.
In practice it is different, the cores are not blocked at their maximum frequency so the 2.84 core will not consume more than one of the 1.8 cores if it is used at this frequency.
For the comparison with the truck, it is necessary to take into account the power requested at a time T and the number of times necessary because there is latency at each change of CPU group.
Concretely, if 1.8 is used at 70% and frequently asks for 85 or 90%, a change of group at 80% is not the right solution, you have to test at 70% (it will stay more often on 2.42 or 85-90% it will stay on 1.8). There is no miracle solution, it depends on each software, its programming, the resulting temperature, this last point is the most critical on mobile.
To go further it takes long hours of analysis with software like
https://www.gamebench.net/ but above all an effective cooling system and to date there is not really one
There is a watercooling system but it is restrictive and on ROG 5, the fixing comes on the triggers
The coolest thing would have been that ASUS was inspired by this cooler to make its own by including it in the ROG Kunai 3 (no need to buy it the Rog 5 is too long)
https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/donya/DN-915903.html