Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeke.Malvo
Manufacturers can do some sneaky things. I can definitely see that, the same as when they send pre-production vehicles to the ring for unverifiable runs, or send magazines hopped up cars that are also unverifiable.
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With the EPA, it doesn't take much. There are many loopholes.
For example...the Japanese makes for decades were providing misrepresented Cd figures for the conversion calculations to take lab-results mpg numbers to "real-world". This resulted in higher-than-normal fuel economy numbers that weren't real. Several faced law suits, and some had to pay our reparations to customers for misrepresenting FE.
Or...packages and options don't usually get tested. A 1LE does not get the same FE as the base SS...stickier tires, more drag, etc...but the EPA doesn't test the option package in the lab.
And...contrary to popular belief...not ALL car models get tested for FE. Only new, or significantly updated models get pulled in. There's a fleet percentage that the EPA is responsible for testing. The rest is taken on faith from the manufacturer.
So.....EPA figures are generally accurate, and it's a solid, standardized way of figuring fuel economy numbers. But like every system, there are ways to cheat it.