EPA to Lower 2008 Fuel Economy Ratings

[oudidntkn0w]

EPA to Lower Fuel Economy Ratings for 2008 Models by an Average of 10 to 20 Percent
By JOHN HEILPRIN Associated Press Writer
The Associated PressThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON Jan 10, 2006 — Consumers may be in for a different kind of sticker shock starting with 2008 model cars, trucks and SUVs.

Fuel economy ratings on the stickers of new models would drop an average of 10 percent to 20 percent in city driving for most 2008 models, and 5 percent to 15 percent in highway driving, under testing changes the Environmental Protection Agency proposed Tuesday.

Gas-electric hybrids will be more affected, with ratings for city driving decreasing an average of 20 percent to 30 percent. Those models are due to appear in showrooms in the fall of 2007.

EPA's new fuel economy estimates will include vehicle-specific data from tests designed to reflect more accurately high-speed driving, rapid acceleration, use of air conditioning and cold temperatures, the agency said.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said the agency intends "to empower consumers with the most accurate information possible about a vehicle's fuel economy," including more details about the effects of "power-hungry accessories" used to lower windows, adjust seats, even play DVDs while driving.

"They can be confident those estimates more closely reflect real-world conditions," Johnson said.

Congress ordered the changes in its energy bill last year, responding to consumer complaints that the fuel economy they get is often less than advertised. It is the first time EPA has revised its fuel economy ratings in 20 years.

EPA said it also plans to redesign the stickers so they are more consumer-friendly.

Despite the lower ratings overall, Johnson said the test results will not be used to gauge whether automakers comply with the law requiring the U.S. fleet have an average fuel economy of 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and 21 mpg for light trucks.

That's because the Corporate Average Fuel Economy program run by the Transportation Department uses separate requirements to determine vehicles' fuel economy, he said.

"It's obvious that the driving world has changed a lot since 1985," said Johnson, who noted that 20 years ago he proudly drove a full-size coupe Pontiac Catalina back and forth to work. "My car really would not match up to today's vehicles."

[oudidntkn0w]

Just saw this on ABC News Tonight, They mentioned the malibu lost like 3 mpg, while the prius's real MPG is around 38.. I laughed, Thats what all you idiots get for buying into the hype and buying an overrated japanese car. Overrated power, overrated quality, overrated gas milage.

[CarShark]

Well, at least we will have accurate measures for fuel economy in real-world-outside-of-your-grandma-in-the-left-lane settings. The media made such a big stink about how mileage has dropped like 1 mile a gallon or so. Wait until they really get hold of this!

What about GM's whole "30 vehicles with 30 mpg highway"? Won't this put a dent in the proceedings?

[DeliveryDave]

about time! Leave it to a goverment agency to tweek numbers. . . nah they would never do that! Well I look forward to this and will be curious how much of a difference it will make.

[asim]

Yay! I guess this is pretty good news! =]

[01cavalier]

Im not surprised that they use different numbers for CAFE, seemed that the mileage ratings posted didnt all quite match up. I am glad that for comparison, the results should be a lot more realistic.

[Proetus]

They are not going to update the actual test until 2011.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2005601100425

The first stage, which would go into effect with 2008 model-year vehicles, would essentially lower mileage results by a set percentage (the EPA currently adjusts the results down by 10 percent for city driving and 22 percent for highway driving)

in the 2011 model year and beyond, the agency will propose a larger change to testing that would add three tests currently used to measure emissions to the mileage standard tests, coming up with new numbers that will likely be even lower than the previous figures.

[hudson32]

Originally Posted by oudidntkn0w

Just saw this on ABC News Tonight, They mentioned the malibu lost like 3 mpg, while the prius's real MPG is around 38.. I laughed, Thats what all you idiots get for buying into the hype and buying an overrated japanese car. Overrated power, overrated quality, overrated gas milage.

Ah, GM's market share continues to drop. I guess there are a lot of idiots out there. The problem is, those idiots apparently like how their japanese or korean cars drive. It'll take quite a bit to win them back over. Carping about it, as tempting as it is sometimes, won't do the trick.

Someday GM will get their due. It takes time to undue what happened in the 1970's to the 1990's. The corporation is just too large for changes to occur overnight.

[hudson32]

Originally Posted by CarShark

Well, at least we will have accurate measures for fuel economy in real-world-outside-of-your-grandma-in-the-left-lane settings. The media made such a big stink about how mileage has dropped like 1 mile a gallon or so. Wait until they really get hold of this!

What about GM's whole "30 vehicles with 30 mpg highway"? Won't this put a dent in the proceedings?

I think everyone will be affected by this. I think this is good considering we have a lot of lead footed drivers who drive with the A/C in full blast at the same time.

I've gotten EPA mileage out of most cars, including most GM cars. I do start off slowly off a light, and let the speed build with the A/C cranked. I do get within 1 mpg of the ratings. But I'm not a leadfooted driver.

[worr]

This is welcome news! I wonder how this will impact displacement on demand?

[oudidntkn0w]

Awesome, I just noticed this on the front page ticker. Its my first ever story submission to make it there. WOOT

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by oudidntkn0w

Just saw this on ABC News Tonight, They mentioned the malibu lost like 3 mpg, while the prius's real MPG is around 38.. I laughed, Thats what all you idiots get for buying into the hype and buying an overrated japanese car. Overrated power, overrated quality, overrated gas milage.

Interesting on the Malibu, I regularly beat the MPG (which is 22/32). I get 25 MPG in the winter and 27 MPG in the summer. Mostly city driving (90%). When I did a whole tank of Highway Driving I got 34-35MPG.

[redimpss5]

Just in time for that $3 summer and so on fuel hike.

[mjd1001]

I wish they would have kept things the same. It would make it easier to compare cars based on our knowledge of the current ratings.

Besides I'm 99% sure there was nothing wrong with the old numbers...it was simply a matter of how you drive. Each of the last 5 new cars I drove got numbers very close to the window sticker ratings for mileage when I drove conservativley.....I only got less when I drove more aggressivley.

[69Firebird400]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

I wish they would have kept things the same. It would make it easier to compare cars based on our knowledge of the current ratings.

Besides I'm 99% sure there was nothing wrong with the old numbers...it was simply a matter of how you drive. Each of the last 5 new cars I drove got numbers very close to the window sticker ratings for mileage when I drove conservativley.....I only got less when I drove more aggressivley.

When I make a concerted effort to drive economically, keeping the speed down on the highway and accelerating like a grandma, then it is possible to achieve the EPA mileage. Any "normal" driving really cuts it back, though. When I am trying to keep my SUV to 65 on the highway for fuel economy reasons, it's AMAZING how many other cars and trucks are passing me like I'm standing still. And I might pass 2 or 3 cars on a 25 minute drive when I go 65 in a 55 mph zone. From my own experience, and apparently the experience of enough people who complained to the government, the EPA ratings are not realistic during normal driving in the real world. Possible? Maybe. Probable? I don't think they are in most cases. Have you ever heard of a Prius driver consistently getting 60 mpg when they're not b.s.ing you?