Real world MPG not even close to Ford's Hybrid EPA MPG claims

[WesternStarSCR]

I heard this on the radio this morning:

Automotive Insight with John McElroy « CBS Detroit

Ford Hybrids Not Achieving EPA MPG Ratings: Report | AutoGuide.com News

Ford Hybrids' Fuel Economy Failing To Live Up To EPA Ratings?


I sure hope Ford, for all of our sake, can quickly come out with its own, EPA certified information regarding test results, that re-validates their 47 combined MPG, to put these real world tests by real drivers in context to the EPA test methods. That is my optimism speaking...

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

Choosing a car is complicated enough without even more debate on if the EPA numbers are close to being true or not these days.

Can the EPA and the OEM's just hire some experienced Eco Modder members to run each new model through its paces as a 'sanity check' against what their test results are showing?

[Cobb]

I dont think most folks drive vehicles in any sense that the two could come up with a suitable design short of something with a battery reserve of 10-15 minutes. I think the Prius design was pretty dead on to meet or beat epa since it can sit with the ac on and not use any gas with its pack.

Ive driven a prius and for the first 10-15 minutes you are stuck in traffic it doesnt idle. After then with the ac on it idles just like the cars next to it and its mpg drops til you get up any real speed, then it builds back up the pack as well as mpg.

To really test the vehicles they should start any epa testing with 30 minutes of traffic. You know, move a thousand feet at up to 35 mph, stop for 7-10 minutes for a mile, then move to a 65mph mile loop for a few laps, then thats your mpg.

[niky]

I've been hearing a lot about this at thetruthaboutcars... Apparently a lot of media outlets have been asking, for quite a while.

[MetroMPG]

Maybe the EPA just needs to audit Ford's numbers.

Perhaps there was a "procedural error" in their testing, just like Hyundai & Kia: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...epa-19675.html

.

[roosterk0031]

Same old story, people who probably have never matched EPA with their old car complain when the new one doesn't either.

[Daox]

No, unfortunately its more than that. I was reading the other day about a Prius driver who was getting above EPA with his 3rd gen, then he gets a C-max and is only getting mid 30s for mileage. This is one of several stories. Something isn't right.

[roosterk0031]

I don't know anything about this car, never even heard of it. Only 21 2013 C-max's on fuelly averaging 39 mpg of rated 47(hwy, city & combined). 83.6% of epa. I just picked 2012 Cruize for comparison, 276 of them averaging 33.2 mpg, combined rating of 27 to 30, using 29 gets 115% of EPA.

Just for giggles, compared to 2012 Prius, 352 on fuelly with 49 mpg average, combined rating of 50 so 98% of EPA. 2010 Insight 177 cars with 44.1 mpg, rating of 41 = 107%

So Ford is looking a little low, but also has a pretty small sample size.

[sendler]

The only guy on Ecomodders with a C-Max is consistently beating the window sticker numbers. Batting a thousand.

[WesternStarSCR]

Small sample size. But the automotive press are the ones sort of moaning about this. Along with the fact that all 3 numbers (city, hwy, comb.) are 47 mpg, so they rightly point out that this sort of mpg should transcend the driving style modifications some of the Ford engineers are suggesting. EPA has test methodology listed on their website, but the big font number on a car sticker is what counts for consumers, not some boring test procedure.

In schools they 'teach to the test'. One wonders if manufacturers are 'engineering to the test' to have their MPG sweet spots right at the ambiant temps, MPH, and A/C settings where the EPA tests at, vs what the "real world" driver may do.

Either way, I hope this issue resolves to the positive of course...

[Joeggernaut]

The EPA should just take a few random cars from the manufacturer and test themselves.