Car blogs

By Scott Doggett, Contributing Editor


With the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle and Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle soon to appear in U.S. showrooms, federal authorities today proposed new fuel-efficiency window stickers intended to provide consumers with straightforward energy and environmental comparisons across all types of cars and trucks starting with the 2012 model year.


The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation  are proposing two new label designs for public comment, which can be submitted online over the next 60 days. One label design prominently features a letter grade to communicate the vehicle's fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions.


That design would also provide consumers with an estimate of the expected fuel cost savings over five years compared to an average gasoline-powered vehicle of the same model year.


The other proposed label design retains the current sticker's focus on miles per gallon and annual fuel costs, while new comparison information on fuel economy and emissions.


Both proposed label designs expand on the content of the current label by including new information on fuel consumption, tailpipe carbon-dioxide emissions and smog-related emissions.



And, both label designs would display annual fuel-cost information. However, only the grade-based design would contain an annual cost of fuel compared with the average vehicle.

----------
Click on the labels and text to enlarge.
----------



Both new window stickers offer a scan code, that can be read using a smart phone, that allows access to more detailed information. It is designed to assist shoppers while in a dealer's showroom.


For EVs such as the Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV and for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles such as the Volt, the agencies are proposing to show energy use by translating electricity consumption into miles-per-gallon equivalent. The proposed label designs for EVs also include energy use expressed in terms of kilowatt-hours per 100 miles.
Continue reading...

Tags: Chevrolet, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Legislation, Nissan, Plug-ins and Electric, DOT, EPA, EREV, EV, Fuel Economy, Greenhouse Gas, Labels, Window Sticker

---

Feds Propose New Fuel-Economy Labels for Cars and Trucks, Seek Public Input was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.