EPA Issues New Window Sticker for 2008 Car Model for Better Fuel Economy Estimation

When you visit new car dealerships shop for a new vehicle next year, you will notice the revised window sticker that more accurately reflects the fuel efficiency of the car you are going to buy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issues new rules on how the fuel economy of new cars is estimated. From the sample window sticker, I see several new features compared to the old sticker: 1) Higher estimated annual fuel cost; 2) Lowered MPG; 3) A scale indicating the combined fuel economy of the vehicle in the same class.

Among the regulatory changes, according to EPA website:

1. The new methods will bring the MPG estimates closer to consumers’ actual fuel economy by including factors such as high speeds, quicker accelerations, air conditioning use, and driving in cold temperatures.
2. EPA will require fuel economy labels on certain heavier vehicles up to 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, such as larger SUVs and vans.
3. EPA is changing the design and content of the window sticker to convey fuel economy information to the public more effectively. The new label design will make it easier for consumers to compare fuel economy when shopping for new vehicles.

With the new sticker design, which will be required on vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2007, we should have a better idea on how much the car will cost us at the pump.

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