Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
guardian.co.uk
Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
1–10 of 30 posts
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#2This is a solution looking for a problem. This just solves the 'I save exactly x gallons' while most people just want to drive to work slightly cheaper.
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#3This is a solution looking for a problem. This just solves the 'I save exactly x gallons' while most people just want to drive to work slightly cheaper.
I think it's pretty clear that the problem is car pollution. Like the article says, effectively communicating a cars "greeness" is the point. However, I do admit that changing completely to this number might be a bit weird. I'm not very good at math, but wouldn't the GPM number be a decimal usually? Like .025 GPM? That might be a bit of a mental leap for the general population to take.
I suppose a compromise could be reached if these numbers where used in tandem i.e. 15mpg/.0XXgpm
edit: Scratch that. It's not really about car pollution as it is about conservation of fuel/saving money which are different things.
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#4This is a solution looking for a problem. This just solves the 'I save exactly x gallons' while most people just want to drive to work slightly cheaper.
I think it's pretty clear that the problem is car pollution. Like the article says, effectively communicating a cars "greeness" is the point. However, I do admit that changing completely to this number might be a bit weird. I'm not very good at math, but wouldn't the GPM number be a decimal usually? Like .025 GPM? That might be a bit of a mental leap for the general population to take. I suppose a compromise could be…
In Germany you usually talk about how many liters it takes to drive 100 km. And you get numbers of around 5 to 10 (or higher).
Even the article says: "When the tests were repeated using gallons per 100 miles, the volunteers correctly picked the greenest option from those available."
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#5Canada requires fuel economy figures in liters per 100km.
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#6Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think it's pretty clear that the problem is car pollution. Like the article says, effectively communicating a cars "greeness" is the point. However, I do admit that changing completely to this number might be a bit weird. I'm not very good at math, but wouldn't the GPM number be a decimal usually? Like .025 GPM? That might be a bit of a mental leap for the general population to take. I suppose a compromise could be…
In Germany you usually talk about how many liters it takes to drive 100 km. And you get numbers of around 5 to 10 (or higher). Even the article says: "When the tests were repeated using gallons per 100 miles, the volunteers correctly picked the greenest option from those available."
Yeah, as the Verizon reps made stunningly obvious[1], the average person struggles with small decimals, but making it a figure like gallons per hundred miles (or liters per 100 km like I have seen in Europe) would make it easier.
I heard a similar story to this on NPR the other day. It pointed out that the EPA already gives it's efficiency ratings in gallons per mile, which are then converted back to miles per gallon for the (not so) benefit of the consumer.
I actually really liked the idea of gallons per 10k miles. This gives a nice beefy number to think about. For instance, my 2004 Chevy Aveo uses 294 gallons per 10k miles. My dad's truck uses 625.
I think they could take it even further and just put a dollar figure on the car. Say the entire industry agrees that 15k miles a year is normal. Pick a gas price for that year and put the total cost of gas on the vehicle. At $3.50 a gallon, my car would have $1544 on the window, whereas my dad's truck would have $3281. That is a difference that is immediately obvious to everyone. They do something similar with appliances, where they list the estimated annual operating cost, which makes picking the most efficient fridge quite easy.
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#7Yes, but will the car manufacturers actually do this? Sounds to me that it could cost them some sales...
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#8Yes, but will the car manufacturers actually do this? Sounds to me that it could cost them some sales...
Only if gas guzzlers are more profitable than efficient cars, which, granted, has been the case up until now. However, with so many companies trying to differentiate based on green credentials now, it seems likely that their high margin business will be in efficiency in the future.
So short answer: maybe.
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#9If you cross the pond often, it's useful to remember the following:
x mpg * y l/100km = 240 (or more exactly 235 and change, but 240 has more divisors and is easier to manipulate).
Illustrated:
10 mpg = 24 l/100km
20 mpg = 12 l/100km
24 mpg = 10 l/100km
30 mpg = 8 l/100km
40 mpg = 6 l/100km
60 mph = 4 l/100km
Small cars in EU are i the 4-6 l/100km range, or between 40-60 mpg. Sedans are typically between 8-12 l/100km, or 20-30 mpg.
HTH
Re: Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile
#10This is a solution looking for a problem. This just solves the 'I save exactly x gallons' while most people just want to drive to work slightly cheaper.
The problem is that "miles per gallon" gives you a false impression of your costs and the fuel savings you get by switching to a more or less fuel-efficient car.
This is likely not a problem that many U.S. citizens are aware that they have, though.