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This 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.
This is the kind of rephrasing of concepts that's just so ingenious and makes you wonder why no one thought of it before. Props to the people behind the (so obvious, so effective) idea!
Earlier quoted context omitted.
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…
This is the kind of rephrasing of concepts that's just so ingenious and makes you wonder why no one thought of it before. Props to the people behind the (so obvious, so effective) idea!
Uhmm, it's been used in the rest of the world (I can vouch for Europe) since forever? In the form of liters/100km.
That's like pointing out the Arabs invented algebra before the Europeans started using it, so the European mathematicians don't deserve any credit at all.
Props to these guys and the entire denizens of Europe, if that makes you feel more politically correct :)
Same thing. I know that 20 mpg is somewhat bad, 30 mpg is somewhat good. How about... 0.05 gallons per mile? I'd have to divide it first. This is the reason why grocery stores sometimes advertise prices at 4 dollars per 9 units, and similar. They know people can't work out that math instantly...
Canada requires fuel economy figures in liters per 100km.
If 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…
I'd suggest they go a step further though. The first thing I do when looking for a new car is convert the mpg figures into pence per mile.
If 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…
My brain's frazzled. Are you using US gallons or Imperial gallons in those calculations? I'd suggest they go a step further though. The first thing I do when looking for a new car is convert the mpg figures into pence per mile.