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Daimler shamed for fuel economy faking

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Author: | Updated: 10 Nov 2014 11:21

Cars made by Daimler have the biggest gap between their official fuel economy figure and real-road results, according to environmental NGO, Transport & Environment (T&E).

According to T&E’s analysis, Daimler real world fuel economy gap is in excess of 30 per cent; as does BMW and Ford, who were also named and shamed. Filling up the car Flickr.com Images_of_Money small

But all carmakers are becoming more adept at manipulating fuel economy figures according to T&E’s new report; with all exhibiting a gap of 25 per cent or more.

On average the gap now stands at 31 per cent for private motorists in 2013, having grown from just 8 per cent in 2001.

If the gap between official figures and the real world keeps growing; it is estimated that by 2030, drivers will cumulatively spend €1 trillion more on fuel than should be necessary.

That means the EU will have to import six billion extra barrels of oil; resulting in an extra 1.5bn tonnes of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The current NEDC fuel economy tests are calculated using laboratory testing; as a result they don’t reflect real-world driving.

In addition, carmakers are accused of taking measures to improve their mpg results by taping over door seams, over-inflating tyres and optimise engine controls to reduce emissions at key points.

Fuel economy test results

That means motorists are spending around €500 more every year on fuel than their car’s official fuel economy figure suggests should be necessary.

While carmakers can save themselves serious money by manipulating the test results, society pays a much higher cost as a result.

According to Volkswagen, every gram of CO2it reduces from its cars incurs a cost of €100 million. By that assertion, the entire car industry has saved around €7 billion since 2008 through test manipulation, T&E claims.

But the consumer pays for these false fuel economy improvements and is estimated to be spending around €2,800 for additional fuel over the lifetime of the car.

In one year, the cumulative cost of new cars is around €35 billion – five times the saving carmakers make by manipulating the test results.

T&E wants to see the introduction of new more robust tests known as the World Light Duty Test Cycle (WLTC) as soon as possible.

While it is expected to come into force in 2017, there is pressure from the car industry to delay that until 2022.

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