ETV Motors, the company behind the modified Prius with an extended-range microtubrine, believes that the EPA's emerging MPG methodology for plug-in vehicles – the one that allowed GM to proclaim a 230 mpg rating for the Chevy Volt and which Nissan used to say the all-electric Leaf gets 367 mpg – is clear as mud. The system makes it difficult for a consumer to relate to the resulting numbers "in any meaningful way to actual vehicle performance." ETV wrote an open letter that also says:
[Source: ETV Motors]
ETV's LETTER TO THE EPA:
The gist of ETV's complaint is that "traditional 'miles per gallon' metrics provide consumers with precious little meaningful data on which to base a purchase decision," which we agree with. ETV wants the EPA to "play a leadership role in defining a well-articulated, rational and consumer-sensitive set of vehicle efficiency measurement regulations" for the U.S. This is all fine and good. The trouble is that there isn't a simple alternative. ETV makes the case for a three-number system:The economy, the environment, the industry and the needs of citizens in the United States and beyond all need something much better than what is being communicated by the automotive industry today.
- All Electric Range (the distance a vehicle driven under normal driving conditions can expect to achieve when operating in purely-electric mode)
- Energy Efficiency in All Electric Mode (the energy efficiency of the vehicle in its All Electric Range)
- Fuel Efficiency in Charge-Sustain Mode (a measure of fuel efficiency for range extended electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt)
[Source: ETV Motors]
ETV's LETTER TO THE EPA:
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