Hybrid Gas Mileage Good? Bad? As Expected?

519 messages, Last post on Jan 16, 2007 at 6:14 AM

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What is this discussion about? Hybrid Cars, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

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#420 of 519 Re: EPA is not going to just "take Toyota's Word" on the #1 Ranked 4-Dr Car [larsb] by gagrice Nov 28, 2005 (3:31 pm)
Replying to: larsb (Nov 28, 2005 1:22 pm) I think that's the issue too, and I think anyone who thinks the EPA saw that 60/51 number and just said, "OK, Toyota, thanks for the MPG results !" is in La-La-Land I have a letter from a person at the EPA that tells me that there is no way to know if the Prius was one of the 10-15% of the vehicles actually tested. If memory serves me correctly that 60/51 MPG figure came out on the EPA web site prior to the Prius II hitting our shores. All tests by independent and not so independent sources refutes the city mileage of the Prius by a BIG margin. What is so difficult in believing that a bureaucracy like the EPA would let a given car slip past them? The odds say the Prius was never tested by the EPA. If your EPA contact has a name and confirms otherwise I would accept that. Replies to this message: falconone (Nov 28, 2005 4:28 pm) gagrice (Nov 28, 2005 4:43 pm)
#421 of 519 prius gas mileage by dreasdad Nov 28, 2005 (4:04 pm)
This guy posts his gas milage figured by the car and by hand, seems he has no complaints. are all these posts arguing about Prius gas mileage form people that own them or Honda sales people? http://www.enerjazz.com/prius/index_gas.htm
#422 of 519 Re: EPA is not going to just "take Toyota's Word" on the #1 Ranked 4-Dr Car by falconone Nov 28, 2005 (4:28 pm)
Replying to: gagrice (Nov 28, 2005 3:31 pm) I remember back in 2003 there was speculation that the Prius would get that type of mileage BUT they were awaiting for the official EPA results. If you actually think Toyota made their numbers better in their favor, you are SADLY mistaken. How could we rely on EPA numbers if every manufacturer tested under different conditions? Makes no sense whatsoever. Regardless...... there aren't many cars on the road today that can easily get low 50's going 65 MPG. Yup...da Prius!! Gotta love that!!! Replies to this message: gagrice (Nov 28, 2005 4:43 pm)
#423 of 519 Re: Yikes, who cares about the EPA??? [shipo] by gagrice Nov 28, 2005 (4:35 pm)
Replying to: shipo (Nov 28, 2005 3:25 pm) For decades the EPA numbers on cars have consistently misrepresented the kind of mileage numbers that any given car was capable of returning. It was much less of an issue in the past. What we find is a race to get the highest mileage cars to market. For the sake of argument, suppose that Toyota assumed in their testing that the Prius would get better city mileage and the results came out that way. Honda wanting to be totally above board put out the actual tests results as specified by the EPA. I realize that the HCH and Prius are not cross shopped very often. However that 13 MPG difference would be a selling point for Toyota. In real world driving the Prius and HCH are nearly identical. Because of the highly flawed EPA mileage on the Prius it gets better treatment for the new tax incentives. It will also have better appeal to those that are strictly interested in gas mileage. I understand the frustration that Honda has expressed.
#424 of 519 Re: EPA is not going to just "take Toyota's Word" on the #1 Ranked 4-Dr Car [falconone] by gagrice Nov 28, 2005 (4:43 pm)
Replying to: falconone (Nov 28, 2005 4:28 pm) How could we rely on EPA numbers if every manufacturer tested under different conditions? We cannot rely on the EPA figures. That is what the discussion is about. Each automaker has a lab that they test for mileage in accordance with EPA rules. The results are sent in and the EPA randomly picks cars to confirm those results. It is not rocket science. And not very realistic as the results are confirming.
#425 of 519 Just my two cents by pf_flyer HOST Nov 28, 2005 (5:08 pm)
I've never looked at the EPA estimates as anything other than just that... an estimate. To me, it the number is more important as a comparison tool. It's not critically important that the number is a 100% accurate measurement of what the mileage is going to be on a vehicle (since I'm not expecting it to be) nor is it terribly important that the testing done isn't really a "real world" test. If they stick cars on a dynomometer and run them for an hour and come up with a number, that's valid for comparison purposes for deciding between vehicles. Even if it's a flawed test (in terms of returning real world mileages) that doens't make it invalid for telling me that Car A is going to get better mileage than Car B. Your mileage may vary Replies to this message: shipo (Nov 28, 2005 6:35 pm)
#426 of 519 Re: Just my two cents [pf_flyer] by shipo Nov 28, 2005 (6:35 pm)
Replying to: pf_flyer (Nov 28, 2005 5:08 pm) "Even if it's a flawed test (in terms of returning real world mileages) that doesn’t make it invalid for telling me that Car A is going to get better mileage than Car B." Ummm, I have to respectfully disagree. If the EPA estimates for all cars was off by a similar percentage, then you'd have a point, however, there are cars that will NEVER meet their EPA estimates unless rolling downhill with a tail wind. There are other cars that under certain neutral and carefully driven circumstances can actually achieve the EPA estimates, while others can easily beat those same estimates. An evenly graduated yard stick the EPA estimates are not. Best Regards, Shipo
#428 of 519 Re: EPA testing of hybrids [gagrice] by blane Nov 30, 2005 (6:43 pm)
Replying to: gagrice (Nov 28, 2005 10:32 am) I wonder which organization tested the GMC Sierra hybrid's fuel economy. Replies to this message: gagrice (Nov 30, 2005 8:33 pm) blane (Dec 01, 2005 6:29 pm)
#429 of 519 Re: EPA testing of hybrids [blane] by gagrice Nov 30, 2005 (8:33 pm)
Replying to: blane (Nov 30, 2005 6:43 pm) Odds are it was GMC. I am still on my second tank of gas, since it was new in June. Until I get a chance to put some miles on it, I will not know what kind of mileage it is capable of. I would say I will be lucky if it gets the EPA numbers. I like the truck a lot. Very, very quiet. Replies to this message: blane (Dec 01, 2005 6:29 pm)