EPA plans to overhaul tests to set more accurate mileage - GreenHybrid

lars-ss · #1 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Government fuel-economy tests will be changed to more closely mimic the way people really drive, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said during a tour of the EPA auto lab here.

EPA will propose, yet this year, an overhaul of its 1970s-era tests that will include hard acceleration, air conditioning use and cold temperature operation - none part of the current tests. There has been speculation all year about how the tests might change, but his comments here were the first official outline.

http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNA...7-c589c01ca7bf

Delta Flyer · #2 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 09:06 AM

Once this is done, I'd love to see how a Datsun 1200, etc compares with today's cars. Yes, I know it would not be exact....

moosh · #3 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 07:17 PM

What's the effect of colder climates? A few mpg?

xcel · #4 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 08:48 PM

Hi Moosh:

___0 - 10 degrees F can knock you back as much as 25 - 30% vs. the mid 70’s (degrees F of course

)!

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes

Bob259 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcel

Hi Moosh:

___0 - 10 degrees F can knock you back as much as 25 - 30% vs. the mid 70’s (degrees F of course

)!

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes

I'd expand that to say anything below 30 degrees will cut your mileage significantly.

I have a new HH and in the time I've had it my mileage has dropped from 26.3 to 22 MPG with the cold weather setting in,

my short less then 10 mile trips with lots of hills does not help either. The wife's Prius dropped also, but we also added snow tires to all 4 wheels so we can't say all of her drop was just just due to the colder weather.

sivart · #6 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 08:45 PM

I will have to watch my driving during the 36 hours (yes, hours, not days) that it is below freezing (32 degrees F) during the year. Okay, that may be a little conservative, but there are literally 2-3 days at the most during the winter where the temp stays below freezing. Anything below 20 degrees (for any period of time) is very uncommon (maybe once a year at the most). Below 10 degrees and you are breaking records.

Bob259 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sivart

I will have to watch my driving during the 36 hours (yes, hours, not days) that it is below freezing (32 degrees F) during the year. Okay, that may be a little conservative, but there are literally 2-3 days at the most during the winter where the temp stays below freezing. Anything below 20 degrees (for any period of time) is very uncommon (maybe once a year at the most). Below 10 degrees and you are breaking records.

Lucky you!!!

From usually December till the end of February here it may never get above freezing,

but for brief periods.... I hate it more every year.