EPA, DOT unveil updated fuel economy window stickers [w/video]

Electric vehicle label – Click above for more labels

Updated U.S. fuel economy labeling unveiled today includes additional information on plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles and highlights other advanced technologies aimed at reducing gasoline consumption and tailpipe emissions. These stickers replace the much-derided "letter grade" proposals.

The redesigned window stickers, required on all 2013 models, enables consumers to quickly compare fuel savings for different types of vehicles, whether they rely on gasoline or some type of alternative fuel. For example, the labels display estimates of how much fuel or electricity would be required to drive 100 miles and how much time is needed to charge a plug-in vehicles like the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf.

Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says the reason for the redesigned labels is to give consumers, "the best possible information about which cars on the lot offer the greatest fuel economy and the best environmental performance." The EPA developed the updated labels with assistance from the Department of Transportation.

Click here (pdf) for a detailed look at all of the revised fuel economy labels. To view a video on the labels' Smartphone "QR Code," click here. More info on the labels can be found here, here and here. Let us know your thoughts on the updated labels by voicing your opinion in comments below.