by Brianna Crandall — November 14, 2014—Of particular benefit to facilities managers whose duties include management of their facilities’ fleet of vehicles, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have just released the 2015 Fuel Economy Guide, providing consumers with a valuable resource to help them choose the most fuel-efficient and lowest greenhouse-gas-emitting vehicles that meet their needs.
In comparison to previous years, the 2015 models include a greater number of fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles in a broader variety of classes and sizes, say the agencies, who credit federal leadership as well as automakers’ innovation for the advances.
The guide provides “best-in-class” lists to help consumers find the most fuel-efficient advanced-technology vehicles as well as the most efficient gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. The best-in-class lists include multiple market segments, from two-seaters to large pickup trucks.
Consumers will find a broad range of information that can be helpful while shopping for a new vehicle — including an estimated annual fuel cost for each vehicle. The estimate is based on the vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg) rating and national estimates for fuel prices. The online version of the guide gives consumers a personalized fuel cost estimate based on local gasoline prices and their personal driving habits. The guide includes a greenhouse gas rating (from one to 10) for each model, giving consumers a quick way to identify vehicles with low greenhouse gas emissions.
According to EPA, its fuel economy estimates are the best way to compare fuel economy among vehicles. Official fuel economy testing is controlled and repeatable, and accounts for a variety of real-world conditions, like air-conditioning use and a variety of speed and temperature conditions. Individual mileage will vary depending on factors such as driving style, weather, air-conditioning use, and extra weight being carried or towed.
Under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration established national car program standards for model years 2012-2025. These standards are projected to cut 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas over the lifetimes of the vehicles sold, save more than $1.7 trillion in fuel costs, and reduce America’s dependence on oil by more than 2 million barrels per day. So far, automakers’ overall greenhouse gas and fuel economy performance has been, on average, ahead of what the standards require.
FMs can find tips for their staff or themselves on more fuel-efficient driving from the Gas Mileage Tips Web page. More information, including a complete version of the guide and details on fuel economy labels, is available at the FuelEconomy.gov Web site, or on the Mobile site for mobile devices. EPA and DOE say they will update the guide online as more 2015 vehicles become available.
