2007-05-15

Hybrid Cars to Get New Mileage Ratings

Posted on Slashdot yesterday:
Wired is running a piece showing the drastically reduced mileage ratings for hybrids after the upcoming changes in gas mileage calculations by the EPA. While the cars themselves aren't changing, plugging these new numbers in to the equation makes a hybrid much less cost effective: "The two top-selling hybrid vehicles, the Prius and Honda's Civic Hybrid, will lose 12 and 11 miles per gallon respectively from their city driving estimates." The new values come from more realistic testing; the old, over-inflated ratings were higher in part because the cars idled a lot, allowing the hybrids to completely turn off their engines. The new ratings should be more in line with what hybrid drivers are actually seeing.
I've been hearing about this for awhile, and I'm not too upset over it. Truthfully, I've never gotten the advertised MPG on my Prius. It varies by season, but I usually get 42-48mpg driving mostly highway, when I should be theoretically getting 55mpg. Since I don't drive in the city (City? What city?) I can't comment on that rating.

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