When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A friend of mine went to Ohio State or University of .
They did a study to see what factors affect your Gas Mileage.
If your Fuel tank is one half empty, or, one half full your Vehicle weights less and you use less fuel.
The 2015's and up are lighter, less weight=less fuel.
But post 233 said to keep your tank at least half full for better mileage.
The only time I have gotten close was when I followed my daughters bus in a field trip. I was about 100' behind the bus (slight draft) and we never went over 65. The dash mpg was 26ish - which I know is high. Other than that the dash is normally in the high 16s.
25 pages and I see no one pointed out that in all these tests, the vehicle used is the lightest, lowest optioned vehicle in the line up. So for the 16-22 rating, those were determined on a regular cab model with the base package. So lets say the tested vehicle is a regular cab XL base package EB with 3.31 gears. Upgrade that to a Lariat model with Max Tow, HDPP, Sunroof, Running boards, every option available and you will NOT get anywhere near EPA. (though I noticed Ford has a separate EPA for the HDPP now)
One thing to note, the vehicle used would have to be one that sells to a certain percentage. They can't take a vehicle that no one would buy and use that for testing, but one that would sell to a set average. IOW they can't use a truck with 3.15 gears for this unless they sell a lot of them, they would have to use a gear that meets a set average. I think this is why manufacturers sell option packages instead of letting a buyer decide on separate options. Think fleet vehicles, and that would most likely be the model being tested, which if you look around usually are regular cab short beds XL models.
Also 48 MPH is not an unreasonable number. I can tell you first hand, that 48(though I heard it was 45) is just about right if you drive all highway. With the average highway speed of 55 MPH (only Interstates and major highways are higher in most states), and with highways having intersections and stops, if you drive 55 MPH all the time, you will average around 45 MPH. I have a Garmin Nuvi that records a lot of information, one of which is average MPH and mine is sitting at 51 MPH. I drive on average 61 MPH 60 miles to work, and from work. Up until I took my trip to Utah two weeks ago, it was at 50 MPH, but the trip boosted it to 51. The roads I take are 55 MPH county roads, with a small 5% being 35 - 45 MPH. It is to these standards that the tests are based on. When the average person is told Highway, first thing that comes to mind is the Interstate system with average speeds of 65-80 MPH, when in reality the majority of highways in the country are county back roads with a average speed of 55 MPH. You Know, Route 66! (oh I also found the Nuvi will also record the highest speed driven, which in my case was 105MPH :8)
One other thing to mention, Winter fuel.. The crap at the bottom of the barrel is what it is. What they do with winter blend fuel is use the stuff that would evap off in warm weather, like benzine, and other higher VOC fuels. These fuels burn faster, have less energy, and give poorer fuel efficiency, BUT they meet EPA standards. The main reason is so our engines will start and run in cold weather, the higher evap fuels are easier to burn in a cold engine. They are also cheaper to produce, and there is plenty more of it. Engines run on fuel vapor, not liquid, and summer fuel will not vaporize enough in cold weather for an engine to run properly, hence Winter Blend!
Yeah, talk about a double standard, but hey, thats how government works, right! I mean its OK for them to break the law and all.... Do as we say, but not as we do.
Makes me scared to look at my Nuvi! I did actually know the basics of this, from when the EPA first started testing. There was a lot of controversy at the time and many explanations in publications like Popular Science and government pubs too. But I have not been keeping up with it..
I'm not going to look at my Nuvi.... it'll just lie. Inanimate objects hate me, they plot against me.
Im waiting on my 16 3.5 ecoboost crew cab 6.5 bed with the 3.55s n 20 inch wheels. I guess I wont be seeing those mgs.... O well... Still love the trucks.
It is possible to get really good MPG in the EB. Drive 55, dont mash the go pedal, and dont force it up grades, let the down side build up speed and roller coaster up the next hill.
It is just a PITA to stay at 55 though. So Screw it I do 62 in the 55, and lose 4 MPG.
08-05-2016, 11:12 PM
