Sep 26, 2008 4:34 pm US/Pacific
Good Question: How Does The EPA Test Mileage?
(CBS13)
If the sticker on your new car claims 30 miles per gallon, will you really get that mileage when you hit the road?
When the government tests new cars for fuel economy, they don't hit the open road or the test track.
The Environmental Protection Agency's official test for MPG's involves a dynamometer. It's like a big treadmill.
"The treadmill can be adjusted for different energy conditions, uphill,
downhill, higher accelerations, lower accelerations," said Margot
Perez-Sullivan, Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA spokesperson Margot Perez-Sullivan says a test driver runs the car
through five different patterns, simulating the city, the highway, high
speeds, use of air conditioner, and cold temperatures. The key to the
results is the hose in the exhaust pipe.
"It measures the carbon inside, which is actually the better indicator for gas mileage than the fuel gauge," said Margot.
Car makers are required by law to perform these tests and are audited by the EPA. And this year, the tests are a bit tougher.
"They're more representative of actual driving conditions, which is why
we saw a slight decrease for vehicles across the board for '08," said
Margo.
The results go on the sticker, and rest assured, the EPA checks those too.
"This is just a tool for the consumer to make informed decisions about the cars that they're going to purchase," said Margot.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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