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European Ratings, Real-World Fuel Economy Diverge
The shortfall between Europe's fuel economy ratings and actual fuel consumption has grown from 8% in 2001 to 21% today, according to the International Council on Clean Transport.
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The shortfall between Europe's fuel economy ratings and actual fuel consumption has grown from 8% in 2001 to 21% today, according to the International Council on Clean Transport.
The nonprofit ICCT warns that further widening of the gap may discourage consumers from paying for new fuel-saving technologies.
The analysis blames unrealistic test conditions allowed by the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) procedure. Among them are a "cold start" at 85 F, low acceleration rates, below-normal test weights and a large proportion of steady-state throttle conditions all of which reduce fuel consumption. Similarly, the ICCT complains that testing is conducted with all power-consuming accessories such as air conditioning turned off.
The report notes that the EU plans to replace the current NEDC test with the World Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure after 2015. The ICCT urges independent vehicle monitoring of fuel economy and emissions to ensure that new test more closely aligns with real-world vehicle performance.
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