Why isn't gas mileage improving for new vehicles?

  • After Iowa State won the Big 12, a Cyclone made a wonderful offer to We Will that now increases our match. Now all gifts up to $400,000 between now and the Final 4 will be matched. Please consider giving at We Will Collective.
    This notice can be dismissed using the upper right corner X button.

SpokaneCY

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
13,294
8,484
113
Spokane, WA
You must ride the Dart bus to work everyday then, huh. Fossil fuels and your kids' planet and such...

Composts his own dukie. Harvests free-range plants from national forests. Only showers once a month but rinses all his recycling in water so that the recycling can take clean trash to the land fill since China has cut back on our garbage...
 

brett108

Well-Known Member
May 1, 2010
5,172
2,051
113
Tulsa, OK
My 2018 Dodge 1500 with a 5.7 L engine get's 26 hwy without load and under 70 mph. That's freaking amazing. This is a good question regardless considering there are trains getting comparatively 200 to 500 miles per gallon. (They don't really rate them this way however) "Fuel Efficiency - CSX.com. Moving freight by rail is 4 times more fuel efficient than moving freight on the highway. Trains can move a ton of freight over 470 miles on a single gallon of fuel."
The problem the US has is it is only geared for freight in its rail system. There is a great Quora article that was reposted to Forbes on this.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/...let-trains-like-europe-and-asia/#74cb707cc080
 

cyhiphopp

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
33,267
14,536
113
Ankeny
Composts his own dukie. Harvests free-range plants from national forests. Only showers once a month but rinses all his recycling in water so that the recycling can take clean trash to the land fill since China has cut back on our garbage...

Wow. I guess I'm only a real man if I drive a giant truck for my 20 minute commute every day.
Did I hit too close to home?
 

CtownCyclone

Really Strong Cardinals
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jan 20, 2010
16,515
8,731
113
Where they love the governor
It's a hybrid, not a full electric. It charges the battery with braking so it runs on gas some of the time, off the battery when it's charged enough. I average about 40MPG but get up to 60 when driving in optimal conditions.

So, question for you. When you're stopped at a red light, does the engine shut off (and with it, the A/C)? Asking because I had a friend get one in Houston, and the A/C shutting off while waiting for long lights made it quite uncomfortable in the car.
 

ArgentCy

Well-Known Member
Jan 13, 2010
20,387
11,176
113
There is already better technology out there...it's called the diesel engine. The VW Golf TDI hybrid is presently pushing 70 MPG in Europe with cleaner emissions per km than the Prius. But we won't get that here in the US because of our diesel paranoia. The Feds tax pump diesel at a 25% higher rate than gasoline, and the EPA follows CARB, who continues to push unreasonable, punitive emissions standards against diesel engines (both of which are purely politically motivated). And to make matters worse, there was VW, who decided to cheat to meet the ridiculous emissions standards.

So now, the US diesel paranoia/vendetta has hit Europe. The Europeans started buying more gas-engine cars. This has contributed to CO2 emissions in Europe going up, and they are likely going to miss their CO2 emissions targets because of it.
https://www.wardsauto.com/engines/european-co2-emissions-rise-diesels-fade

Prior to the neutering, my 2015 Passat TDI got 50+ MPG @ 70 MPH, and this was commonly reported among Passat TDI owners. Afterwards, I get around 46 MPG @ 70 MPH. All because of the TDI not meeting an overbearing NOx emissions requirement in one part of its operating range. Not to mention, taking a number of cars off the road and replacing them with higher CO2 producing, less efficient ones.

I wanted one of those TDI's. If anyone still knows how to get one without being hit by the nerf bat let me know. Just a parking lot full of great cars that nobody wanted.
 

CyOps

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2010
4,565
1,728
113
Lincoln
  • Informative
Reactions: NWICY and VeloClone

cyhiphopp

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
33,267
14,536
113
Ankeny
So, question for you. When you're stopped at a red light, does the engine shut off (and with it, the A/C)? Asking because I had a friend get one in Houston, and the A/C shutting off while waiting for long lights made it quite uncomfortable in the car.

I've heard about that before, but I don't have that problem with mine. The gas engine does shut off at stoplights, but my A/C still runs effectively.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: NWICY

FinalFourCy

Well-Known Member
Mar 5, 2017
9,357
9,145
113
39
regarding the bold - every time I drive that distance. On long drives I only really stop for fuel and a quick pee.
Which is still very rarely when looking at car usage. Range isn’t an issue for all but outliers (of which car makers can’t afford to chase), and soon not even for them.
 

dmclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2006
20,690
4,809
113
50131
So, question for you. When you're stopped at a red light, does the engine shut off (and with it, the A/C)? Asking because I had a friend get one in Houston, and the A/C shutting off while waiting for long lights made it quite uncomfortable in the car.
It varies by car but my wife’s VW’s stop/start definitely slows down the a/c.
 

SpokaneCY

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
13,294
8,484
113
Spokane, WA
Wow. I guess I'm only a real man if I drive a giant truck for my 20 minute commute every day.
Did I hit too close to home?

I drive a Honda CRV at a reasonable level of speed. Maybe we should start a #carshaming forum to brow beat anyone who makes decisions different from yours... :)
 

cyhiphopp

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
33,267
14,536
113
Ankeny
I drive a Honda CRV at a reasonable level of speed. Maybe we should start a #carshaming forum to brow beat anyone who makes decisions different from yours... :)

Eh. I have some strong opinions particularly about people driving trucks who don't need them. That's about it.

My main point with the fossil fuel argument was that it's not just about how other people spend their money. There are other factors.

I personally wouldn't drive a gas guzzler for my commuter car for financial and environmental reasons. If other people can live with it, ok I guess.
 

CyOps

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2010
4,565
1,728
113
Lincoln
Eh. I have some strong opinions particularly about people driving trucks who don't need them. That's about it.

My main point with the fossil fuel argument was that it's not just about how other people spend their money. There are other factors.

I personally wouldn't drive a gas guzzler for my commuter car for financial and environmental reasons. If other people can live with it, ok I guess.
I have a problem with people driving trucks that can't park them.
 

VeloClone

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
45,603
34,887
113
Brooklyn Park, MN
I have a problem with people driving trucks that can't park them.
In the parking ramp where I park there are regularly full sized extended cab trucks that when parked properly stick a couple of feet out of the parking stall. Then there are midsize and even compact cars that are parked like crap and stick farther out of the stalls. Those are the ones that piss me off.
 

jbhtexas

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2006
14,124
4,075
113
Arlington, TX
I wanted one of those TDI's. If anyone still knows how to get one without being hit by the nerf bat let me know. Just a parking lot full of great cars that nobody wanted.

Ebay or cars.com. Search for 2015 Passat TDI. There are a number of lower mileage ones still available. I think that VW is still selling them at auctions, and many of them eventually show up at independent dealers. I got mine from a Chrysler dealer; he bought a bunch of them at auction and had no problem selling them. Our salesman joked that it seemed like they were selling more VWs than Chryslers, and the boss told the buyer to stop buying the VWs.

If they came from VW, they will have been neutered (most likely fully by now), but they will have 10-year, 120,000 mile warranty for the power train. If you want to forgo the warranty and recover some of the mileage, google around. When I got mine, only the first stage fix was applied (i.e.it still got high mileage). But to get the extended warranty, I had to eventually complete the fix.
 
Last edited:

simply1

Rec Center HOF
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 10, 2009
36,311
24,305
113
Pdx
In the parking ramp where I park there are regularly full sized extended cab trucks that when parked properly stick a couple of feet out of the parking stall. Then there are midsize and even compact cars that are parked like crap and stick farther out of the stalls. Those are the ones that piss me off.
Meh, i know which ones I can still see over.
 

Die4Cy

Well-Known Member
Jan 2, 2010
13,038
12,917
113
Made a 100 mile round trip for parts in my 3/4 ton gas guzzling emissions spewing stick pickup today, even though my EcoBoost F150 was in the garage.

Suck it, haterz!
 
  • Funny
Reactions: isufbcurt