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Auto Club Reminds Car Shoppers That 2008 Models Will Show Lower "Real World" Miles per Gallon
Auto Club Study Helped Push EPA to Revise New Car Fuel Economy Labeling
| Source: Automobile Club of Southern California
LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - September 25, 2007) - New cars, beginning with the 2008 models
that are now rolling into dealership showrooms, will have labels that
reflect fuel economy results that are more similar to "real world" results
than prior year models, and most likely will show lower miles per gallon
than had been previously stated, says the Automobile Club of Southern
California.
The Environmental Protection Agency agreed in 2006 to revise testing
procedures for fuel economy labeling after consumer groups, including AAA
and the Auto Club, demonstrated that prior procedures did not reflect real
world driving conditions. A 2006 Auto Club research study confirmed that
the former testing system EPA uses to determine miles-per-gallon ratings in
many instances significantly over estimated real world fuel economy ratings
because it does not account for the way people drive today. Most consumers
that purchased new vehicles in recent years rarely saw their personal fuel
economy equal what was stated on the sales label.
"Car buyers will now have more accurate fuel economy information, and
that's a great step forward for consumers," said Steven Mazor, Manager of
the Automotive Research Center (ARC) of the Auto Club. "We're pleased that
the EPA implemented these changes so consumers get a clearer, more accurate
view of how many miles per gallon (mpg) the car they want to buy will
actually get."
The Auto Club's ARC technicians gathered owner mpg data from 41 vehicles,
representing 18 models that include the most popular vehicles on the road
today. The results showed that 90 percent of the vehicles experienced
mileage worse than what the EPA estimated -- by an average of four mpg or
an average deviation of 15.7 percent. ARC researchers then conducted a
series of tests using an existing EPA test typically used for monitoring
emissions called the "USO6" test. This test simulates aggressive driving,
congestion and high speeds -- a closer resemblance of everyday driving.
The results showed that the USO6 test resulted in only a one mpg, or a 4.4
percent deviation. This is the test that the Auto Club and AAA recommended
be used as the basis of the EPA fuel economy tests.
"Motorists should know that there will never be a perfect test for
determining their mileage," added Mazor. "However, if we want to maximize
our mileage and be sensitive to our environment, we must remember that how
we maintain our vehicle and how we choose to drive significantly contribute
to saving money at the gas pump and conserving fuel."
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest member of the AAA
federation of motor clubs, has been serving Southern California since 1900.
Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance
products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive
pricing and buying programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning
services and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about
these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at
www.AAA.com.