Mitsubishi Publishing Real-World MPG Sign Of Openness With Customers
In a sign of openness toward its customers, Mitsubishi will begin publishing real-world MPG figures for their entire lineup, beginning with the Outlander PHEV.
Auto Express reports Mitsubishi UK marketing director Lance Bradley stated the plug-in SUV was chosen because his customers, expecting the 148-mpg claimed in official tests, found the vehicle returned 90 mpg instead:
It’s crazy that people think that’s bad, but it’s all relative to the official figure. We’d like to do a graph, maybe just a figure, starting with the PHEV but then rolling it out to other cars. It would come from customer information.
The move comes as the automaker plans to have an PHEV variant for every one of their models within five years’ time. With more buyers reporting what their vehicle averages in fuel economy, future owners could compare the official test results with those found in real-world driving.
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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I'd like to see such a system for EVs. Here is a simple example: http://news.fleetcarma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Leaf_Range_Cold_Weather_FleetCarma.png
Mitsubishi was doing much better when they were making cars for everyone else, literally. Mitsubishi made cars for Hyundai, Chrysler and themselves all over the world. Now, they don't make cars for anyone and they're sucking wind. Weird how that worked out for them.
It's all well and good that Mitsubishi will publish more realisitic economy figures for its vehicles, but the brand has bigger problems. A top spec Outlander in the UK is £35K, which is insane money for utilitarian load lugger. Another article, from 2012, talking about the same mileage discrepancy issue. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/green-motoring/9241054/Fuel-economy-why-your-car-wont-match-the-official-mpg.html Should this Worldwide Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle be introduced (and you know the OEMs are fighting that one all the way) there could be more realistic numbers for everyone, everywhere.
I would far prefer an energy cost sticker based on standard assumptions of annual mileage and cost per unit fuel. Informed consumers being essential to a free market and all that. Asking politicians to rid the world of snake oil is a fools errand, and yet I find myself walking that path.