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Using fueleconomy.gov to Sa e F el and MoneSave Fuel and MoneyRobert C GibsonRobert C. GibsonUniversity of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research

Fuel Economy & Idle Reduction SeminarFuel Economy & Idle Reduction SeminarJuly 13, 2011

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Today’s PresentationWhat is fueleconomy gov?What is fueleconomy.gov? Using Find a Car to compare fuel economy and

environmental benefits of vehiclesL b f d l i i f f l ffi i hi l Learn about federal tax incentives for fuel-efficient vehicles Using “Your MPG” to calculate and track your fuel economy

and view real-world estimates from other consumers Getting the best fuel economy you can using our fuel-saving

tips

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What is fueleconomy.gov? Consumer oriented web site Consumer-oriented web site Joint effort by Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and

Rene able Energ (EERE) Clean Cities ProgramRenewable Energy (EERE) Clean Cities Program Environmental Protection Agency

Helps fulfill DOE and EPA’s responsibility under the Energy Polic Act (EPAct) of 1992 to pro ide acc rate f el economPolicy Act (EPAct) of 1992 to provide accurate fuel economy information to consumers. Implemented in 1999 to aid in disseminating fuel economy

informationinformation

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Our goal… Reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas Reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas

emissions from passenger vehicles by Educating consumers about fuel economy, alternative fuels, and

advanced technology vehiclesadvanced technology vehicles

Encouraging consumers to consider fuel economy when purchasing or operating vehicles

Providing reliable information that helps consumers make informed decisions about fuel economy

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The Fuel Economy Program’s two primary products are the annual Fuelprimary products are the annual Fuel Economy Guide and fueleconomy.gov.

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Fueleconomy.gov has severalFueleconomy.gov has several advantages over printed guide. Easily accessible from computer or hand held devices Easily accessible from computer or hand-held devices Consumers can perform research before they go to a

dealership.I b d d h i f i i il bl It can be updated when new information is available. It contains more information than the printed guide. Consumers can perform searches, personalize information,

use interactive tools, view videos, etc.

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Fueleconomy.gov has become a major source of information formajor source of information for consumers…

354045

)

Traffic on www.fueleconomy.gov by Model Year

U U i Vi it

15202530

ssio

ns (m

illio

ns) Users Unique Visitors

05

10

000

001

002

003

004

005

006

007

008

009

010

011

Use

r Se s

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

(data projected for MY 2011)

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…and the media.

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Find a CarFind a Car

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Find a Car helps consumers findFind a Car helps consumers find and compare fuel efficient vehicles Data includes all light duty vehicles with EPA MPG ratings Data includes all light-duty vehicles with EPA MPG ratings

from model year 1984 to the present, except for Motorcycles Vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) over 8 500 Vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) over 8,500

lbs. (SUVs and passenger vans with GVWR up to 10,000 GVWR included as of 2011 model year)

Search for a specific vehicleSearch for a specific vehicle Find suitable vehicles based on selected characteristics Compare vehicles side-by-side

Vi li t f t f l ffi i t hi l View lists of most fuel efficient vehicles

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Online “Find a Car” Demonstration

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Find a Car will soon have new ways to search for vehicles.

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F el Econom tab incl des EPA f elFuel Economy tab includes EPA fuel economy estimates, real-world estimates from other consumers and fuel economicsfrom other consumers, and fuel economics.

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Fuel economy, environmental, and fuel economics estimates can be personali ed toeconomics estimates can be personalized to fit your driving environment and fuel prices.

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Energy and Environment Tab showsEnergy and Environment Tab shows petroleum consumption, carbon footprint, and smog rating.

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Safety tab shows National Highway Traffic Safet Administration (NHTSA) safet ratingsSafety Administration (NHTSA) safety ratings for many vehicles.

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Specs tab shows vehicle characteristics, s ch as interior ol mes si e class dri esuch as interior volumes, size class, drive type, etc.

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Find a Car can also be accessed from your PDA, cell phone, orfrom your PDA, cell phone, or other mobile device

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Tax Incentive Information Center informs consumers about federalinforms consumers about federal incentives for fuel-efficient vehicles List of qualifying vehicles and incentive amounts List of qualifying vehicles and incentive amounts Requirements for qualification How to claim the credit Phase-out and termination of incentive Additional information from IRS All of our tax incentive information is based on Internal

Revenue Service (IRS) press releases, guidance documents, and personal communication with IRS staff Example: Electric Vehicle Tax Incentivesp

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Current Electric Vehicle (EV) Tax IncentivesIncentives

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“Your MPG” feature helps consumers calculate, track, andconsumers calculate, track, and view real-world MPG Calculate and track MPG based on Calculate and track MPG based on Fuel purchase records In-dash readout

B t Best guess Drivers can share their average MPG score Drivers must register in order to share MPG Error checking helps improve quality and reliability of data

Consumers can view average MPG for vehicles with data

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Online “Your MPG” Demonstration

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Your Garage is your home base for using the Your MPG feature.using the Your MPG feature.

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Your MPG allows you tocalculate and track fuel economy by entering your fuel purchase data.

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Gas Tips: Getting the best possibleGas Tips: Getting the best possible fuel economy out of your car. Many drivers are unaware that the way they drive and Many drivers are unaware that the way they drive and

maintain their car can reduce fuel economy by up to 33 percent. Fueleconomy gov provides reliable unbiased tips based on Fueleconomy.gov provides reliable, unbiased tips based on

peer-reviewed studies and input from our panel of automotive experts. Fuel are savings based on current national average fuel Fuel are savings based on current national average fuel

prices. Note: If you are already following our fuel-saving tips, you

may already be getting the best MPG you can achievemay already be getting the best MPG you can achieve.

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Driving style and conditions haveDriving style and conditions have the largest effect on fuel economy. Aggressive driving: 5% 33% Aggressive driving: 5%–33% Idling: $0.01–$0.03/min. (AC off),

$0.02–$0.04/min. (AC on)E i ht 1 2% 100 Excess weight: 1–2% per 100 pounds

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Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) Currently Studying Speed vs. FuelCurrently Studying Speed vs. Fuel Economy Preliminary results from 50 The V6 4WD midsize cars V6 2WD Preliminary results from

current ORNL study Data from a major vehicle

manufacturer covering 51 40

45

50 The V6 4WD midsize cars, V6 2WD large cars & V6 2WD minivans were combined due to similar results.

gvehicles from various manufacturers Data on 9 vehicles tested at

NTRC25

30

35

MPG

Average for misc. I4 2WD cars (5)

NTRC Data based on laboratory

tests on a chassis dynamometer

15

20

30 40 50 60 70 80Vehicle Speed (mph)

Ave. for V6 2WD midsize cars (7)

V6 lg cars, minivans & 4WD midsize cars (9)

Ave. for V8 2WD large cars (4)

dynamometer Vehicle Speed (mph)

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Speeding can reduce fuelSpeeding can reduce fuel economy significantly. Speed vs MPG relationship varies among different vehicles Speed vs. MPG relationship varies among different vehicles On average, light-duty vehicles typically reach optimal fuel

efficiency at speeds between 30 mph and 50 mph.F l d b 4 f 10 h i Fuel economy drops about 4 mpg for every 10 mph cruise speed increase above 50 mph Most vehicles examined showed a 3–5 mpg drop per 10 mph

i 50 hincrease over 50 mph. Four-cylinder cars showed a 6 mpg drop per 10 mph

increase over 50 mph.

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Vehicle maintenance affects fuelVehicle maintenance affects fuel economy. Out-of-tune engine: 4%Out of tune engine: 4%

Under-inflated tires: 0.3% per 1 psi under-inflation of all four tires

Wrong motor oil: 1% to 2%Wrong motor oil: 1% to 2%

Dirty air filter: 2% to 6% for older gasoline vehicles with carbureted engines DOES NOT reduce MPG for

computer-controlled, fuel-injected gasoline engines

We hope to test diesel engines in the near future.

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Trip planning and other strategiesTrip planning and other strategies can also reduce fuel consumption Trip planning can reduce Trip planning can reduce

driving distance and can reduce the mileage under cold-start conditions Drive your most efficient

vehicle Stagger work hours to avoid

t d h h t fficongested rush-hour traffic Ride sharing and carpooling Mass transit

T l ti Telecommuting

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Other factors can affect fuelOther factors can affect fuel economy. How much you use electrical accessories How much you use electrical accessories Temperature Driving on hilly or mountainous terrain, unpaved roads Using four-wheel drive (Vehicles are not tested in 4WD

mode.) New vehicles do not obtain their optimal fuel economy until

the engine has broken in. This may take 3–5 thousand miles. Energy content of fuel

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All gasoline does not have theAll gasoline does not have the same energy content. EPA ratings based on tests with 100% gasoline EPA ratings based on tests with 100% gasoline. Using oxygenated fuels or reformulated gasoline (RFG) can

cause a small decrease (1–3%) in fuel economy.M f h li ld h ll f h l Most of the gasoline now sold has a small amount of ethanol in it—up to 10% by volume depending upon the region. Using gasoline with 10% ethanol decreases fuel economy by 3–4%.Th t t f li i ll T i l The energy content of gasoline varies seasonally. Typical summer conventional gasoline contains about 1.7% more energy than typical winter conventional gasoline.

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Some things that don’t improveSome things that don t improve fuel economy Using a higher grade of gasoline than your vehicle requires Using a higher grade of gasoline than your vehicle requires. Higher octane merely prevents engine knock. There is no fuel

economy benefit. Fuel conditioners gizmos etc Fuel conditioners, gizmos, etc. EPA has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving

devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage. In fact, some such products may damage a car'sgas mileage. In fact, some such products may damage a car s engine or cause substantial increases in exhaust emissions.

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Thank you for your time and attention!attention!