Choose Your Next EPA Fuel Economy Label
Published: August 30th, 2010
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The EPA, working with the Departments of Transportation and Energy, has come up with two potential fuel economy labels, aimed at addressing the challenges posed by new plug-in, and fuel cell vehicles. The EPA’s Gina McCarthy gives an overview on the two label styles in the video above, but the main difference appears to be that one label would give cars letter grades (from A+ to D) on their fuel efficiency and greenhouse as emissions, while the other… wouldn’t. Read more about the first label (with letter grades) here, and compare it to the second label here. Let us know what you think, and if you feel strongly enough, send your comments to the EPA here.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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I can't believe they are wasting their time with these new labels when they still haven't fixed the things that are intrinsically wrong with the current fuel economy test. The current test, born from emissions testing, actually is counter to optimal fuel economy. I worked for a car company, with emissions compliance/calibration engineers and it was common to speak of "real world fuel economy" (RWFE) vs. test economy. Many of the calibration changes they made improved test economy, while hurting RWFE. Of course, they had no choice, because there are HUGE incentives to meet the economy numbers...or more accurately, huge disincentives, if they don't. If the EPA really wants to help consumers, and save the planet they should fix the darn test! You could probably increase RWFE by 10%, by just making the test more accurate of actual driver usage.
Labels, schmabels! How about some truly relevant testing that more accurately gives real-world numbers. My car routinely turns in 10% better highway mileage than its EPA numbers, at a higher cruising speed (80), and A/C on. Part of that disparity may reflect the routine use of cruise control on Interstates that have fairly open conditions. The tests should have categories that indicate urban freeway traffic as a "highway" segment, as well as one for cross-country trips. In making a choice, the consumer needs to know how the product fits the intended usage pattern. I'm still trying to figure out how a real Traverse gets 30 mpg anywhere except downhill with a tailwind.