Gordon Murray's electric T.27
Decidedly, today is electric vehicle, EV mileage and energy consumption day.
The gist is that the EV world is eager to not fall into the traps internal combustion engines, ICE fell into. Fuel mileage vary, ETA estimates are just that, estimates and no one really believes anything leaving a consumer based in cynicism than cold hard facts about the range and fuel consumption of cars.
Edmunds To The Rescue. Edmunds is taking it upon themselves to also ask the government to do something about ranking actual true mileage based upon a simple, straight forward way, how much energy is used to go a certain distance. According to USAToday, the Environmental Protection Agency is working on formulas to accurately inform how fuel-efficient EVs are. Not only is this good news but the best part is that consumers will then be able to compare them with other types of cars, gas and otherwise. The “miles per gallon”, MPG debates, especially for EVs and to some extent for plug-in hybrids, PHEV is ludicrous. An EV does not use gasoline and a PHEV does once in a while. MPG could only be gauged when the PHEV functions with its engine on.
Edmunds feels the EPA has to come up with a cost-to-operate figure that lets consumers compare the price of energy for their vehicle, regardless of what type. It not only makes sense and is what we have been saying for well over a year. EPA estimates are just that, estimates. They are done in perfect lab conditions that do no reflect real life driving. The question for EV’s is even more complicated as electricity can be bought cheaply at night, or higher during the day, as well as driving habits and environment obviously effect performance.
All in all, it seems there is a growing concern and push for more accurate data. It seems for once, something is happening that has not in a long time, groups are pressing officials to act and find systems that reflect reality, not estimates.