Article: EPA to Fortify Certification Oversight in Wake of Mileage Controversies

[MetroMPG]

It looks like the automakers are going to have fewer opportunities to make "mistakes" (Hyundai/Kia) or "game" (?) the tests (Ford hybrids) to give their cars better EPA fuel economy ratings than they deserve...

The Environmental Protection Agency is moving 30 workers from another project to its testing and certification area to make sure auto makers are meeting the fuel-saving goals that have been set for them.

...

[An EPA official says...] “This part of the business is occupying more attention than before,” he adds. “This is more and more competitive, and we want to make sure we are doing our job.”

Source: EPA to Fortify Certification Oversight in Wake of Mileage Controversies | Politics content from WardsAuto

Update -- see also: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ims-27224.html

[Daox]

Its nice to see the EPA addressing these issues and doing something about it. Wonder what those 30 people were doing that they won't be anymore though...

[oil pan 4]

God forbid they just lay out an on road real world test track like NHTSA uses to for calculating tire tread wear and gather an actual sample size with multiple test subjects like real scientists do.

Even mythbusters was able to figure out 2 new identical vehicles don't get identical fuel economy even when driven together on the same road at the same time.

[Frank Lee]

Nothing wrong with proper lab tests. The open road- as you ought to know- has so many variables it is nearly impossible to test with consistency. I thought the last generation of EPA test protocol was spot-on. Yes there is individual variation between "identical" vehicles; is it large enough to worry about and/or do you think a big enough number of each model should be tested?

[tjts1]

The numbers they come up with are completely useless anyway. Fuelly is far more accurate at predicting real world fuel economy.

[RustyLugNut]

The EPA testing protocol is to compare the economy of models to each other. We all know it has little to do with what each of us will actually get out in the real world. However, some manufacturers have been extensively gaming the tests to gain more marketing ammunition. Now it has come back to bite them.

[niky]

Random auditing should be sufficient after the first test.

Real world is simply an unrealistic way to test with any consistency.

The current EPA may not be perfect, but it's the best "official" measure available at the moment.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by niky

The current EPA may not be perfect, but it's the best "official" measure available at the moment.

Not, when you consider these two points: (1) all EPA tests are performend using 'neat' Indolene 91 octane gasoline, NOT the ethanol-diluted E10 stuff everybody is forced to use; and (2) some manufacturers stipulate milage tests be performed with daytime running lamps (DRL) and automatic headlamps and other "normal" electrical loads disconnected (which can only be done by pulling fuses!). So, how often do you pull fuses before you drive to work?

Also, up to now, EPA has NOT had a standard E85 fuel specified, so they relied upon numbers provided from manufacturers tests. They, now, however, have proposed an E85 standard fuel...but, it's not (yet) been approved.

[user removed]

Kia gives my wife about $90 a year since they had to eat crow and drop her Sorento's highway rating from 32 to 29. I still think they should give her more to cover the difference in used value since the lower mileage rating is a bargaining chip in buying-selling.

regards
Mech

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

Not, when you consider these two points: (1) all EPA tests are performend using 'neat' Indolene 91 octane gasoline, NOT the ethanol-diluted E10 stuff everybody is forced to use; and (2) some manufacturers stipulate milage tests be performed with daytime running lamps (DRL) and automatic headlamps and other "normal" electrical loads disconnected (which can only be done by pulling fuses!). So, how often do you pull fuses before you drive to work?

Also, up to now, EPA has NOT had a standard E85 fuel specified, so they relied upon numbers provided from manufacturers tests. They, now, however, have proposed an E85 standard fuel...but, it's not (yet) been approved.

Measuring Fuel Use
For vehicles using carbon-based fuels (e.g., gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc.), a hose is connected to the tailpipe to collect the engine exhaust during the tests.

The carbon in the exhaust is measured to calculate the amount of fuel burned during the test. This is more accurate than using a fuel gauge.

This method does not work for vehicles using non-carbon-based fuels, such as fuel cell vehicles and electric vehicles.

How Vehicles Are Tested

Accounts vary, but links here https://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or....ends+are+there claim up to 59 different blends of gasoline sold in the U.S.:

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-05-421