Home | Automobiles & Transportation | Cars
Consumers have a tendency to think that the large black digits on a automobile window sticker, the one that shows the EPA estimated MPG rating, equal what they will actually obtain while driving that vehicle. Sadly, this is another situation covered by the saying, "Read the fine print." The fine print says, more or less, actual MPG may be different based on a number of things. What you as someone in the market to buy a new vehicle should be aware of is that the gasoline mileage you get could be less. A great deal less. Truthfully a great deal of time and expertise goes into testing for fuel performance. And these numbers that they come up with provide important data for comparing two vehicles for your next purchase. What is missed by many though is that, as part of the test process a number of assumptions are made about driving habits. Those assumptions are now outdated; hence the discrepancy. New vehicles are reviewed by the manufacturer in adherence to guidelines laid out by the EPA. The EPA then reviews the results and verifies ten percent of the test results with their own testing. The automobiles are checked by placing the drive wheels on a "dynamometer," a machine that allows it to simulate driving conditions while remaining stationary. The vehicle is tested according to two different "schedules" to determine the city and highway ratings posted on an automobile's window sticker. (MPG ratings are also included on the "Specs" page of all the vehicles on Edmunds.com.) The two schedules are meant to simulate different patterns of driving that might occur in the two types of driving: City: The test is started with the vehicle’s engine cold. The automobile then is run in such a pattern as to replicate eleven miles of stop-and-go peak traffic. Idle times are included in the test; average speed is twenty mph and top speed is 56 mph. Highway: This test approximates 10 miles of a combination of rural and interstate highway driving. The engine is warmed up prior to beginning the test and the average test speed of about 48 mph is maintained. The highest speed reached is 60 mph. No intermediate stops or idling are included in the test. The EPA admits that tests and real life driving might differ. It assigns the discrepancy to — among other things — the fact that the cars being tested are in optimal mechanical condition and thus will get better results. But by looking at the EPA's testing procedure, it is clear that the habits of today's drivers are not paralleled in the test. On most highways, you would have to be in the slow lane at 60 MPH and would still get honked and this results in substantially lower MPG ratings. Furthermore, although the EPA attempted to duplicate city driving by introducing periods of idling, today's overly congested roads produce considerably more and longer prolonged stops.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com
GARKO is not about just getting you the best gas mileage for your auto his Water 4 Gas ebook will show you gas saving inventions that work and can help you so you never buy gas again by converting your engine to a car that runs on water and save $1000s! GARKO is a consumer advocate, songwriter, entrepreneur and activist For a list of current gasoline prices in your neighborhood email garko@startlingdiscoveries.info
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
Powered by Article Dashboard
