Hybrid car owners wonder: Where's the mileage?

USA Today | 2/3/2004 | David Kiley

[traumer]

Some owners of gas-electric hybrid vehicles complain that they aren't getting the sky-high mileage promised on the window sticker.

To blame are a mix of factors, from unrealistic expectations to poor driving to bad weather.

In November, Andrew Bartell, a San Anselmo, Calif., information technology project manager, bought a 2004 Honda Civic hybrid with an Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy rating of 47 mpg in city driving, 48 on the highway. But Bartell says he actually is getting between 34 and 36 mpg.

He says Honda told him the EPA rating is based on a test of "ideal" driving conditions. "The stated mileage is a complete lie. ... I do not know of a single road in the U.S. that would qualify as ideal," Bartell says.

Honda spokesman Andy Boyd says Bartell isn't the only Civic hybrid buyer complaining. In fact, Boyd says he gets between 39 mpg and 41 mpg in his Civic hybrid. "The EPA test is an ideal for any vehicle, but it especially favors hybrids and probably sets up too high an expectation," Boyd says.

The EPA test is about 40 years old, and automakers say it is out of date with today's driving habits. The city-driving test simulates an 11-mile, stop-and-go trip with an average speed of 20 miles an hour and a maximum speed of 56 mph. The test has 23 stops and includes time for the vehicle to idle at a standstill.

The highway test simulates a 10-mile trip and averages 48 mph with a maximum of 60 mph. Testers subtract 10% in the city test and 22% in the highway test to account for real-world driving.

Toyota has been racking up complaints from owners beefing about not hitting the 51 mph highway/60 mpg city mileage advertised for its Prius hybrid. Low- to mid-40s is closer to reality.

Prius uses the electric battery more than the gasoline engine in city driving. That's why, "The best place to maximize the gas mileage of the Prius is in stop-and-go city driving and California commuting where cars rock back and forth between 25 mph and 45 mph," Toyota spokesman John Hanson says.

Drivers who lead-foot the accelerator or brake hurt mileage in any vehicle but are apt to regularly undershoot the optimal fuel economy of hybrids by as much as 10 to 15 miles per gallon.

Hybrids draw some power for the electric battery from braking. But if a driver punches the gas pedal between lights and weaves in and out of traffic, necessitating hard braking, energy that would go to the battery is wasted on the brakes. That means more gas is needed to recharge the battery.

"Traditional driving tips for better fuel economy help maximize hybrid fuel economy even more," says Tom Watson, head of hybrid and electric-vehicle powertrains for Ford, which plans to sell a hybrid Escape sport-utility vehicle this summer. "That means mild acceleration and mild braking."

Beyond drivers' control, extreme weather can play havoc with hybrid gas mileage. Batteries work less efficiently in temperatures below 32 degrees, and if a driver takes a lot of short trips during a cold week, mileage will suffer. In hot weather, running the air conditioning in a car costs 10% to 20% of fuel economy.

Exacerbating the complaints: Hybrids show running gas mileage results on the dashboard, so drivers are constantly reminded of fuel efficiency.

"Prius owners who don't know each other pull up beside one another, roll down our windows and shout out what mileage we are getting," says Prius owner John Fragnant of Apple Valley, Minn., who has a Web site for Prius buyers. "That happens all the time."

[traumer]

"fuel economy rating of 47 mpg resp. 48 mpg .... actually is getting between 34 and 36 mpg "

[camle]

suckers!

[dei23]

Symbolism over substance….the environmentalist mantra!

The cars "intend" to get higher gas mileage that's what is important!!!

[VeniVidiVici]

I get 49 - 50mpg in my VW diesel. Right in line with what they claim.

[Sloth]

What's the typical mileage for a NON-hybrid Civic?

[Adder]

Yeah, ain't it funny that many other cars on the road get right close to the sticker averages, but these cars do not.
If I were a cynical Adder, I might suspect an bit of agenda pushing going on here.

[T.Smith]

I get 27 mpg gallon on the highway in my big honkin' V8 Firebird. I think I get about 21 mpg in the city, but I'm having too much fun to keep track. I'm not familiar with the concept of "mild acceleration".

[nightdriver]

"Symbolism over substance….the environmentalist mantra!"

Bump! That says it all.

[Paradox]

I get 49 - 50mpg in my VW diesel. Right in line with what they claim.

In my experience, diesel cars pretty much hit their advertised mark. I think the problem with hybrids is that they are designed to fly through those EPA tests. That test is NOT very accurate as far as gas mileage is concerned. Back some time ago, they had to "de-rate" all vehicles by about 10%, because the EPA figures were just too optimistic. That brought expectations down to a pretty reasonable level. These hybrids are another thing altogether, I suspect they ought to lower those EPA figures for those by another 10-15% to bring it inline with reality.

[mpreston]

Solutions to the problem
1) Increase congestion so vehicles travel at 25 to 40 mph
2) Remove the mpg gauge

[traumer]

I used to have a VW Jetta DIESEL and was getting 40+ mpg. The new models have a much better engine technology (don't smoke either).

EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
Manual: 38 mpg / 46 mpg
Range in Miles: (City/Highway)
Manual: 551 mi. / 667 mi.

[Professional Engineer]

.... actually is getting between 34 and 36 mpg "

I used to get that with a DOHC/4 valve per cylinder Saturn. I bet I had a lot more fun doing it, as well.

[cinFLA]

I get 27 mpg gallon on the highway in my big honkin' V8 Firebird. I think I get about 21 mpg in the city, but I'm having too much fun to keep track. I'm not familiar with the concept of "mild acceleration".

What did you do to it to get that mileage?

[Pylot]

You don't suppose the EPA went along with the older test standard in order to allow a legal presentation of a rosy scenario????

No............not the EPA..........they wouldn't do anything underhanded like that would they???

[traumer]

Allow Diesels to the US...
Diesel rocks !

[TommyUdo]

"The EPA test is about 40 years old, and automakers say it is out of date with today's driving habits. The city-driving test simulates an 11-mile, stop-and-go trip with an average speed of 20 miles an hour and a maximum speed of 56 mph. The test has 23 stops and includes time for the vehicle to idle at a standstill."

Baloney.

That describes, almost exactly to the mile, the round-trip I take twice daily shuttling my wife to and from work.

Of course, California, in it's wisdom, has seen fit to prohibit the sale of "new" cars with modern, more efficient Diesel engines that get better milage than mentioned in the article (such as the VW TDI) due to concerns about particulate pollution (and the quality of the fuel available).

Never fear, though, a few enterprising Auto Dealers seem to have some of these same vehicles for sale here in CA (and in MA, which has the same prohibition) in "lightly used" condition! Free Enterprise will always win!

[Iowa_Clone]

No surprise at all. That's the way the EPA test works.

The test gives you a way you can compare mileage between cars, but it isn't an accurate reflection of mileage you get on the road. The results have nothing to do with hybrid vehicles that I know of. It works that way on all vehicles as far as I know. And has for years.

But USA Today didn't seem to ask anyone who actually works with the test they are talking about. My respect for journalistic thoroughness is thoroughly shocked.

[RebelBanker]

I am a cynical Rebel - I have believed that the Japanese carmakers have been tinkering with their vehicles to optimize the tested fuel economy for a long time now. I have not seen any study comparing reported actual fuel economy versus EPA tested mileage, but I know I never got anywhere near the number printed on the window sticker.

[Clint Williams]

The city-driving test simulates an 11-mile, stop-and-go trip with an average speed of 20 miles an hour and a maximum speed of 56 mph. The test has 23 stops and includes time for the vehicle to idle at a standstill.

If only the going ever got that good in Seattle...

[kidd]

If this is the case, then the economic reason for buying hybrids falls apart. The extra ~$3000 that a hybrid costs has been previously justified by the fuel costs saved.