Green Car Reports: EPA wants Manufacturers to verify MPGs with Road Testing

[Jus-A-CMax]

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1093276_epa-wants-carmakers-to-verify-gas-mileage-with-road-testing-too

 

Now, does this mean they have to verify in the cold north and the hot south? 

 

C'mon to be fair... ;)

[drdiesel1]

I would prefer road testing data over lab data. My 2014 Buick Verano's MPG numbers were rated @ 21/32 and it only managed a combined 16.5 mpg.  For a 2.4L, 4 cylinder that's a horrid number.

My 2014 Ram Cummins Diesel 6.7L, 2500 4X4 Crew Cab  averages 20 under the same exact conditions.

Edited August 7, 2014 by drdiesel1

[SnowStorm]

Here's the WSJ article with a nice C-Max photo.  But I don't see this requirement changing anything much.  It sounds like its just a cross check - the fixed scenario lab tests still go on the window sticker.

 

We need a detailed fuel consumption model stuffed in a QR code on the window sticker.  Then you record your daily commute with your smart phone, enter some data like garaged yes/no, time period desired (whole year, summer, winter), snap a picture of the code when you're looking at the car and, voilà, you have a personalized estimate.  Click save and go to the next car.  Or just do it all on-line along with selecting any route you want. It would be flexible, a lot more accurate and a lot less confusing.  It could be done.  We went to the moon 45 years ago!

[drdiesel1]

I have the MPG winner that works best for me :love_shower:

 

2014 C-Max NRG..

[SPL Tech]

I have the MPG winner that works best for me :love_shower:

 

2014 C-Max NRG.. 20140803_131349.jpg

That's a meaningless number. I can get 338 MPG with a semi when all I am doing is driving downhill too.

[stevedebi]

That's a meaningless number. I can get 338 MPG with a semi when all I am doing is driving downhill too.

That is not driving downhill, that is mostly EV driving. I had similar numbers before my first Energi highway trip.

[jdbob]

Of course in an Energi if you only drive in EV mode you can't actually get a MPG number because then you are dividing by zero (gallons). The car just reports 999MPG in that case. Using normal methods of measuring fuel efficiency it comes out to 0.0 liter per 100km.

 

So worse case is you never plug the car in so you get the 38MPG or whatever and best case you get a nonsense result. Anything else between those two extremes is based on percentage driven using the plug-in power which is going to be different for different people.

[stevedebi]

Of course in an Energi if you only drive in EV mode you can't actually get a MPG number because then you are dividing by zero (gallons). The car just reports 999MPG in that case. Using normal methods of measuring fuel efficiency it comes out to 0.0 liter per 100km.

 

So worse case is you never plug the car in so you get the 38MPG or whatever and best case you get a nonsense result. Anything else between those two extremes is based on percentage driven using the plug-in power which is going to be different for different people.

Actually, that is where MPGe comes in. You divide the KW hours used by something like 34 (can't remember the number right now), and it provides the equivilent to MPG.