Fuel Consumption: Manufacturer's Instructions To Test Consumption The Large Consumption Lie

Our cars will consume much more than the manufacturer promises. autobild.de shows which models between manufacturers specification and test consumption are worlds apart - and actually get there in whom the reported values.

Scheitern regularly in an attempt to reach that promised by the manufacturers, average fuel consumption of your new car? For your vindication should be said: It is not your driving skills. Rather, the consumption figures, which attract carmakers in their glossy brochures are far from reality. This is demonstrated by the tests of AUTO BILD. Only in February 2012 reported autobild.de about models, their consumption in the test 50 percent or more higher than the specified standard consumption. This list can continue, we become. The most recent examples: The Renault Grand Scenic dCi 110 is to manage energy according to the manufacturer with 4.1 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers - in the AUTO BILD test the Frenchman but needed 6.3 liters (53 percent of consumption). A Fiat Panda 0.9 Twinair swallowed instead of the specified 4.2-liter super even 6.9 liters, which corresponds to a consumption of 64 percent. Only the Opel Ampera had an even higher consumption (333 percent) - for a vehicle with electric drive system this value is another matter (see explanation of the consumption of electric cars below). The most egregious examples of unrealistic consumption data can be found in the gallery above.

Only a few models, the discrepancies between the manufacturer and test consumption was less than five per cent (see examples in our gallery). But how come about the major differences between the specified standard consumption and test score? Car manufacturers determine the consumption of the vehicles according to a standardized measurement method on the dynamometer. About two-thirds of the time while driving the car at low speed (up to 50 km / h), the maximum speed (120 km / h) is reached only very briefly. Gradients and full throttle accelerations are missing. Realistic values ​​are thus created little. AUTO BILD is testing the other hand, not on the dynamometer, but where we are traveling all day: in real traffic. Each test car passed it a test drive on a well-defined circuit. This is exactly 155 km long and consists of-town (40 kilometers), agriculture (61 kilometers), and sections of motorway (54 km). Driving is abundant, it is not sporty. Speed ​​limits are utilized, ie, in the city 50 km / h and above country 100 km / h run. On the highway is 20 km at full throttle, with the remaining 34 kilometers are constant 120 km / h run.

Under such conditions are then very different values ​​than in the standardized driving cycles on the dynamometer. If the consumption data, the manufacturer then fraud? Legally, no. The carmaker, with their consumption information on the safe side - even if the values ​​do little to do with reality. As the consumption is determined, the Law requires a standard to which all manufacturers have to keep.