Vehicle Mileage Standards
In the United States, vehicle mileage standards are established by the Environmental Protection Agency, whose authority to rate vehicles extends to those with a gross vehicle weight of up to 8,500 pounds. Before a new car can be offered for sale, it must be rated by the EPA, with that information posted prominently on the vehicle.
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History
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The EPA has been setting fuel mileage standards since 1974 on passenger vehicles, with some exceptions. Motorcycles, certain sport utility vehicles and passenger vehicles weighing more than 8,500 pounds--such as the Ford Super Duty--are not tested. In 2011, the law will exempt passenger vehicles such as vans and SUVs with a weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more.
Standards
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The EPA publishes data on its website for vehicles by make, model, submodel and model year, if applicable. That data provides three numbers: city mpg, highway mpg and combined mpg, the latter to reflect overall driving. These numbers are estimates; your results may vary. That information can be found by visiting www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm.
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Electric Vehicles
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EPA standards have been set to quantify equivalent fuel consumption for 2011 vehicles powered by an electric motor in part or in whole. The Nissan LEAF, which runs purely on electricity, and the Chevrolet Volt, which uses electricity and a back-up gas engine, were the first two vehicles to be tested.
For the Volt, the EPA published three numbers to reflect electric-only usage, gas-only driving and a combination of electric and gas driving, In addition, the EPA sets vehicle range.
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