• Do Cars Deliver on Their Fuel-Economy Promises?

    Fuel analysis

    Do Cars Deliver on Their Fuel-Economy Promises?

    Nowadays, fuel economy is high on the check-list for buying a new car. It’s the amount of fuel a car uses for mileage compared to other cars. With a better fuel economy, you get lower fuel costs and more savings in the long run. Some cars focus on it, with great fuel economy as their key selling point, while some simply try to improve it alongside their main features. But in either case, are car manufacturers actually delivering on the fuel economy they’re promising?

    Testing their efficiency

    Whether it’s an attempt to reduce emissions, or just to save money, drivers definitely take notice of fuel economy claims. Well now, their claims have actually been put to the test. The EQUA Index, fuelled by Emissions Analytics (EA), has tested 60,000 car models. Using in-car equipment, EA measured four-hours of mileage for the cars in real-world driving conditions. With a sharp contrast to the laboratory based testing of the cars’ mileage by their manufacturers, it’s the first publicly available database of its kind.

    They found that the vast majority of car models didn’t live up to their supposed efficiency. On average, cars performed 30% worse than the advertised levels, with common models like the Ford Fiesta delivering just over half the amount they were supposed to. The worst of the bunch was the Fiat 500, a popular choice for first time drivers. It’s manufacturer rating stands at 70.6 miles per gallon (MPG). However, in the EQUA tests, it managed just 39MPG. A shocking drop of 45%.

    Better results?

    Only two cars managed to match or beat their advertised efficiency. The Aston Martin Vantage performed at 21.5MPG, which was a 5% increase. Similarly, the Nissan 370Z gave 26.8MPG – 1% above its ‘official’ mileage. It’s thought these eye opening results could lead to stricter testing in future. 2017 sees the introduction of a new test, albeit still laboratory based. With a lack of hills, corners and other real-world conditions, the new test is unlikely to solve the problem.

    VOC testing

    It’s not just efficiency testing that goes into fuels. Different regulations for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) mean that sampling and testing must begin before the fuel has reached the cars. It’s a process that certainly has room for improvement. One potential enhancement comes in the sampling method used to monitor and measure the VOC levels. ‘Optimization of EPA Method 325 for the Fast, Accurate and Precise Monitoring of VOCs Around Oil Refinery Fencelines’ discusses how sampling can be optimised.


    Digital Edition

    PIN 26.1 Feb/Mar 2025

    March 2025

    Analytical Instrumentation - Elemental Analysis for Quality and Process Control at Refineries, for Lubricants and Wear Metals in Engine Oils - Synthetic Lubricants: New Developments - Scaling...

    View all digital editions

    Events

    The Safety & Health Event

    Apr 08 2025 Birmingham, UK

    Expo Gas

    Apr 08 2025 Kielce, Poland

    OMC

    Apr 08 2025 Ravenna, Italy

    Ocean Business 2025

    Apr 08 2025 Southampton, UK

    Interspill 2025

    Apr 08 2025 London, UK

    View all events

    Congratulations...
    We will send you the latest eBulletin as soon as its ready..
    Sign up to PIN for FREE.
    Register and get the PIN eBulletin, a Monthly email packed with the latest instruments and applications from the petroleum related industry.