New miles per gallon testing figures to be announced
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to announce this Thursday its new testing standards at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.
The standards, according to anonymous sources (fearing they’ll lose their relationship with the government body), will be rolled out in two stages by the EPA. Stage One lowers mileage by a certain percentage to reflect air-conditioning use and another other vehicle devices. Stage One affects model year 2008 vehicles.
Stage Two adds three new tests which most likely will lower mileage further. Stage Two affects model year 2011 and beyond vehicles.
These new testing standards reflect reaction by the EPA to auto manufacturers, consumer advocates, and environmental groups who, for some time, have criticized the agency tests which were developed in the 1970s. They claim the tests, whose results are derived from laboratory testing, do not reflect use of air-conditioning or most “real world” driving conditions (e.g., stop/start, bursts of acceleration, etc.) which can cut up to fifty percent of the reported miles per gallon on the window sticker. Hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, have especially illustrated this discrepancy.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Finished.Law.School 2:30PM (1/10/2006)
GM can kiss all that advertising for the new Yukon away once the "real" numbers come out from these new tests...
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Research Hybrids 2:46PM (1/10/2006)
I hope they don't lower the numbers too much. Personally I think the published EPA numbers should be the optimal. People need to realize that if you drive any car like a racecar you're going to get bad mileage.
Maybe we need 2 sets of numbers, optimal and "average." I do want to know what I can get if I drive properly.
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Bogey 2:50PM (1/10/2006)
Lame, lame, lame. 2008? 2011? Give me a break. They should be announced now for implementation (publication) for any vehicle 2008 model year and on.
Furthermore, IMHO, the testing should not be done by the manufacturers, but should be handed of to an independant, non-governmental organisation.
On top of all this I believe that all vehicles should be included in calculating a manufacturers CAFE number. Electric, Diesel, Gas (Petroleum) or LNG - include them all.
The EPA are a bunch of weenies.
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Robert Aitchison 2:58PM (1/10/2006)
The EPA tests are fundamentally flawed.
They test indoors on a dynamometter and then use math to "estimate" the affect that wind resistance would have.
They test at ridiculously low speeds, their highway tests should be based on 65MPH AT LEAST (75Mph would be a more accurate average of how fast most people drive on the highway)
The shouldn't allow automakers to use specially built & tuned vehicles for the tests, test vehices should be pulled off the assembly line at random.
They already factor the results because they know how flawed they are, now they are talking about adding another arbitrary factor.
What they need to do is test on a track at reasonable speeds, if you set up the track in a sufficiently temperate climate (I'm thinking the plains of California, like around Bakersfield) you should have minimal environmental (temperature, etc.) impact on the results.
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D.J. Nelson 3:12PM (1/10/2006)
MPG needs to be calculated in real world conditions. Stop and go at 0 degrees F, consumer quality gasoline/fuel, and in the case of pick-ups or SUVs, the axel ratio as stated on the window sticker would be a start.
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Rob 3:21PM (1/10/2006)
What they should do is let NASCAR test the cars, They know what there doing with a car! Use the tracks in different parts of the U.S. then put all the numbers together and bingo. Plain and simple.
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roadside observer 5:47PM (1/10/2006)
I've never had a problem getting EPA-rated fuel economy out of any car or truck I've driven, ranging from Honda Civics to 460-cubic inch Ford F-250s. I usually get better than rated fuel economy, and I'm not easy on the gas pedal. 1.5 to 3 mpg above the EPA ratings is the norm for me, both on the interstate running 70-75mph and in town.
That being said, it's about time the EPA updated how it determines fuel mileage.
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