The MPG Survey: Questioning the Biased Perception of Automobile Fuel Economy

Abstract

This paper presents a survey about the perception of achievable automobile fuel economies versus EPA ratings. The survey follows up of a driving experiment in which the fuel consumed was 30% lower than the rated consumption for the same distance. On one hand, the results of the survey suggest that for most people, the perception of the possible fuel economy of a particular car seems to be biased by its advertised fuel economy and present standards. On the other hand, the driving experiment confirms that fuel consumption is affected by the driving style of motorists. As a result, this paper constitutes a call to all drivers to be more optimistic about and take some responsibility for the fuel efficiency of their automobiles. Fuel economies that exceed the EPA ratings are easily obtained with a few driving adjustments. In the present energy and environment turmoil, such adjustments result in immediate and significant savings in terms of fuel, carbon footprint, and environmental impacts.