EPA Refigures New Car Miles-Per-Gallon Estimates

To provide American consumers with improved information when shopping for cars and trucks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will apply new methods to determine the miles-per-gallon estimates that appear on new vehicle window stickers.

EPA’s new methods bring miles-per-gallon estimates closer to consumers’ actual fuel use by including factors such as high speeds, aggressive accelerations, air conditioning use, and driving in cold temperatures.

This means the mileage figures on window stickers will drop an average of 12 percent for city driving and about eight percent for highway driving.

The new standards will take effect for model year 2008 vehicles.

The new fuel economy sticker will help ensure that American motorists won’t be blindsided with higher than anticipated charges at the pump. Savvy consumers will be able to consider fuel use while shopping for cars and trucks to save money on refueling costs while helping to protect the environment.

Currently, the EPA relies on data from two laboratory tests to determine the city and highway fuel economy estimates. The test methods for calculating these estimates were last revised in 1984.

In addition to better fuel economy estimates, for the first time the EPA will be requiring fuel economy labeling of medium-duty vehicles between 8,500 and 10,000 pounds, including large sport-utility vehicles and vans.

Manufacturers will be required to post fuel economy labels on these vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year.