The EPA (environmental protection agency) and DOE (department of energy), issue an annual publication and summary report known as the fuel economy guide. It is a specialist publication, that provides industry and consumers with valuable reference source materials and data to make better decisions regarding vehicle purchases and fuel economy.
The fuel economy guide has the main purposes of providing fuel economy (gas mileage) data that is easy to understand and representative of the marketplace, like providing a snapshot and summary in time of choice and options at the disposal of the general populace.
In reality it is a document designed and intended to act as the one resource you can use, as a guideline and decision-making guide even, that will help you spend less money on gas and put the savings into your pocket.
www.fueleconomy.gov is the official site for fuel economy information, including downloadable versions of the annual Fuel Economy Guide, files of the annual underlying fuel economy data, as well as much more information.
Users can look up individual vehicles for specific fuel economy information and read tips for improving gas mileage. There are links to related sites, including where to find information about possible tax credits for alternative fueled vehicles.
If you need help choosing the best, most fuel efficient vehicle that is just right for you the current fuel economy guide will provide you with all the criteria and information that you require to make that choice.
For additional print copies, please send your request to EERE Information Center, 656 Quince Orchard Road, Suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. or download printable copies from this link provided here HYPERLINK "http://www.fueleconomy.gov" www.fueleconomy.gov.
The estimates and ratings given to each vehicle pertain to city and highway driving. EPA miles-per-gallon (MPG) estimates are based on lab testing and adjusted downward by 15% to allow for other factors and road conditions to reflect the situation on US roads. The same testing procedures are followed for all vehicles.
The two estimate types of driving conditions are measured as follows:
City or urban driving, simulates and represents a vehicle that is routinely started in the morning (after being parked all night) and driven in stop-and-go rush hour traffic.
Highway represents a mixture of rural and interstate highway driving in a warmed-up vehicle, typical of longer trips in free-flowing traffic.
Additional assumptions behind the numbers in the fuel economy guide are that 15,000 miles per year are travelled (55% under city driving conditions and 45% under highway conditions) fuel costs $2.20/gallon for regular unleaded gasoline and $2.40/gallon for premium.
Special instructions for using the annual fuel economy guide:
Cost-per-gallon assumptions for vehicles that use other fuel types are discussed at the beginning of those vehicle sections.
The fuel costs were determined in advance to allow time for printing labels and the Guide and do not reflect the recent unanticipated rise in fuel prices.
Visit www.fueleconomy.gov for the most up-to-date fuel cost estimates using current fuel prices.
