Distorted facts, or distorted tests??

Chippy01

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/02/plug-in-hybrid-cars-burn-more-fuel-than-tests-record-says-which

0lddog

YMMV

Lantus

Car industry has always used specially designed tests to determine effeciency in acheiving the required compliance level. Batteries won't be any different.

liamog

Any given test is always going to be synthetic in nature, what's important is that you can compare two models within the same test.

The_B_Man

Ah sure my PHEV can apparently get something mad like 250 mpg.
I assume thats with a full battery with regenerative braking and going exclusivly downhill and stopping every 20km to charge the battery.

I assumed everyone knew it was a gimmick to get cheap tax!

innrain

liamog wrote: »

Any given test is always going to be synthetic in nature, what's important is that you can compare two models within the same test.

But when these tests are the basis of road tax and subvention something is wrong.

What the test says in the PHEVs case is that it will potentially do 180 mpg.
Now if one orders a chicken soup and be served an egg which potentially could be a chicken soup it won't sit well

I'm I wrong that the X5 benefits all the motor tax bands, VRT rebates and SEAI grants as any other BEV?
"The worst performer was BMW’s X5 plug-in hybrid SUV. It achieved 188.3 miles per gallon in official tests, versus only 52.8 miles for Which?. That 72% efficiency difference could potentially add more than £650 a year in petrol costs, the group said."

zilog_jones

It totally depends on how you use it. After nearly 5 years, overall I'm averaging 82 MPG with my 2012 Prius Plug-in. I think it's safe to say there's no modern non-plugin car that can seat 5 adults and achieve figures like that.

kanuseeme

zilog_jones wrote: »

It totally depends on how you use it. After nearly 5 years, overall I'm averaging 82 MPG with my 2012 Prius Plug-in. I think it's safe to say there's no modern non-plugin car that can seat 5 adults and achieve figures like that.

Seemingly the newer version according to which? does 114mpg in their test,

They do not go into much detail, but say they test the cars with varying degrees of charge and then use that information to calculate the consumption for an annual mileage of 9000 miles.

I collected my mothers BMW 225xe with only 19 miles petrol range in it from Dublin port and drove home 160 km after filling it up , from memory it done around 45 mpg, their test says that 44 mpg is all it does.

I have my doubts about their testing ability.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/03/plug-in-hybrid-cars-use-more-fuel-than-official-figures-claim/

Anyway you be a fool to believe anything a car manufacturer says about mpg/range on any car, BEV, hybrid, ICE etc.

Lantus

When the stop start tech came in for petrol cars the test was adjusted to ensure the best possible beneficial result was achieved by having larger stationary periods. Thus over the same test distance the car performed better.

zilog_jones

Lantus wrote: »

When the stop start tech came in for petrol cars the test was adjusted to ensure the best possible beneficial result was achieved by having larger stationary periods. Thus over the same test distance the car performed better.

There were no changes to the NEDC between 1997 and its replacement by the WLTP in 2017. So this claim that "the test was adjusted" during the introduction of start-stop functionality is false in the case of Europe.

zilog_jones

kanuseeme wrote: »

Seemingly the newer version according to which? does 114mpg in their test

With double the battery, better efficiency, heat pump and greater EV driving capabilities (more powerful motor, higher top speed in EV mode, etc.) this doesn't sound too far off what would be achievable in driving similar to mine.