Hybrid Cars to Get New Mileage Ratings

Skidge writes "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."

Comments

Re:Realistic Ratings

[Anonymous Coward]

So how does this compare with what drivers are actually getting?

My milage in my Hummer isn't as good as what that chart says. I get in the car, let the engine warm up for a couple of minutes. Drive to Tim Hortons and sit in the line for 15 minutes with the engine running. Leave Tim's, head to work. At coffee I'll drive to Starbucks for my Double Whoopee Extra Whiz Grande Fudgachino Mochagay.

All in all I get about half a tank to the kilometer.

You must be new here.

[AltGrendel]

The US automakers have been fighting to keep the current standards for decades so that they can tout the "Great Milage" that their cars have. Now that something has come along that looks even better that the standard (read fossil fuel only) autos look worse, they probably have done some back door lobbying to change over to this new formula.

Re:Strange but true

[Anonymous Coward]

Thank you karma whoring moron. The next time I'm in the mood to read a puff piece/ sales brochure, I'll look for one of your posts.