'Everything's Fine,' Says Mitsubishi to the EPA

After admitting it fudged fuel economy data for the past 25 years in Japan, Mitsubishi Motors wants the Environmental Protection Agency to know that its U.S. vehicles are A-OK.

The automaker claims it conducted an internal audit on vehicles from model year 2013 to present and contrasted that data with figures it had previously submitted to the EPA. The conclusion? The information’s fine.

“After a thorough review of all 2013MY – 2017MY vehicles sold in the United States, we have determined that none of these vehicles are affected,” the automaker said in a statement. “Our findings confirm that fuel economy testing data for these U.S. market vehicles is accurate and complies with established EPA procedures.”

Mitsubishi is in an Olympic-sized swimming pool of hot water in its home country after admitting to overstating gas mileage figures on domestic models since 1991. The data submitted to the Japanese government was based on American-style testing, rather than the city-heavy Japanese cycle.

The American test involves coasting to a stop from 80 miles per hour to measure the amount of drag exerted by the vehicle’s body and components.

On Tuesday, the EPA demanded new test data from Mitsubishi after its U.S. vehicles became suspect. The automaker gets an “A” for promptness, turning in its papers a day after the request.

Mitsubishi could face steep fines in Japan, and has already seen its market value drop by half. It recently set up a committee of outside experts to investigate the scandal.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has previously asked for information from the automaker.

[Image: Mitsubishi Motors]