Fuel Economy: New Rules To Help Accuracy In Reporting
Judy Antell
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Get a better idea of your car’s fuel economy soon.
With gas prices at record lows, car buyers are not thinking as much about fuel economy. But fuel prices WILL rise and that gas guzzler yo buy now can be your car for the next seven or so years.
So tighter rules on fuel economy are very useful over the long run. Your car’s rating, published on the car’s window sticker, should be more than a ballpark figure. But until now, many car manufacturers exaggerated the fuel economy on their vehicles.
According to the New York Times, car makers will have to use a new test for rating their cars or face audits and stiff fines.
In 2013, Ford downgraded the fuel economy of its C-Max hybrid and offered owners a refund after the Environmental Protection Agency found that its fuel economy had been exaggerated.
That window sticker, called a Monroney report, is designed to give buyers an idea of what mileage to expect, and the new rules should help make the stated mileage more accurate. It will also help the EPA keep track of car manufacturers, who have to comply with an average fuel efficiency of 54.5 miles per gallon by model year 2025.
For more accurate fuel economy, test vehicles, which are measured as they slow down, have to be warmed up first for 30 minutes at 50 miles an hour to stabilize the tires. Test cars also have to have about 4,000 miles on them to better simulate real-world conditions.
Using a Fuel Cost & Savings Calculator, like this one at fueleconomy.gov, helps you calculate your spending.