Quote:
Originally Posted by WesternStarSCR
I have never owned a Ford, but I am rooting for all car companies to improve their MPG, and hopefully, have the test methods to back up their results... uggh
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The tests are specified by the respective government establishments, and each manufacturer normally has the means and data to back them up.
In the EU, manufacturers have to follow the NEDC. Mandatory.
So they "improve" their cars' ratings on this test.
A large proportion of the NEDC test is at standstill.
Hence the rush towards auto stop/start.
You won't be stopped for that long, relatively speaking, during the car's in-traffic life.
At least VW cylinder deactivation can be used all day in part-load driving conditions.
Any hybrid fools this kind of test by at least partly powering the car off the battery - usually during the low speed part of NEDC - but said energy has to be restored later on in the drive ... or even later by plugging it back in.
But the test isn't long or hard enough to get the battery depleted and then recharged.
Max. electric speed is usually the top speed in the low speed part of NEDC ...
Let's take the Volvo V60 plug in.
Do you honestly believe it'll do on 1.9L/100km ?
That's 124 mpg US.
Well, it does, on the NEDC ... and only there !
Use it beyond the test conditions, or beyond its electric range or speed, and it's just your ordinary, overweight and overpowered diesel-burner !
The only solution is a climate controlled, fully enclosed test track where tests are done at various speeds - until any and all available fuel in the car is drained.
Then see what it consumed while actually driving WITH wind drag (NEDC runs are done on a dyno).