EPA Wants Public Input on New Improved Fuel-Economy Labels
By Bill Visnic August 30, 2010The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation today 
jointly announced the agencies will adopt a new window sticker for all new vehicles that more effectively conveys information about fuel-efficiency and emissions.
The EPA added a new twist by saying it is actively soliciting public comment about two proposed new window-sticker designs shown at the Web site.
Assistant administrator Gina McCarthy told reporters today that although the final design may not be precisely like the two presented today, the EPA is trying to gauge public reaction to the broad differences between the two proposed new fuel-economy stickers that will be seen on new vehicles starting with the 2012 model year.
And, importantly, there will be variations of the new window-sticker design for "advanced-technology vehicles" such as battery-electric vehicles (i.e. Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s all-electric Leaf), plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles like General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt and compressed natural gas and flex-fuel vehicles.
"This update (to fuel-economy window stickers) is long overdue," said NHTSA administrator David Strickland during a conference call with reporters. "These old, petroleum-centric labels just aren't good enough anymore.
Making The Grade
The chief difference between the EPA's proposed new labels: one incorporates a large letter grade - based on a scale of A+ to D - that summarizes the vehicle's fuel-economy and emissions profiles compared with all other vehicles, not just those within its segment.
McCarthy said the EPA is interested to hearing whether people like the grade rating, which was incorporated because the agency believes it might be crucial for buyers to have a simple and quickly-digestible summary of the vehicle's environmental impact.
And although she said the agency is anxious for input for "all stakeholders," one group almost certain to scorn the grade rating is automakers, because in the absence of segment-specific relative grading, many popular models, such as pickups and even crossovers, aren't going to earn a good letter grade.
McCarthy said, in fact, that based on the population of new vehicles available in showrooms today, the median score in the proposed new rating system would be a B-.
The other major difference between the two proposed labels: one provides an annual fuel cost for the specific model, just as does today's window sticker. The label with the large letter grade also has the annual fuel-cost information, but more prominently includes an annual cost of fuel compared with the average vehicle.
Emissions And MPG
Other changes to the proposed new fuel-economy label include a long-discussed "alternative" listing of fuel economy in gallons per 100 miles, a metric that has long been believed to be a better comparator of relative fuel-efficiency and one used in most parts of the world.
Also included is a "miles-per-gallon equivalent" to help compare alternative-fueled vehicles with their conventional counterparts, and graphic scales indicating carbon-dioxide emissions in grams per miles and other air pollutants.
One nod to today's high-tech: a smartphone-readable scan code that can be used to summon more detailed information to help consumers perhaps already in the showroom by offering data personalization and comparisons to other models.
The EPA will accept comments on the proposed new labels for the next 60 days.
Graphics by the EPA
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Leave it to today's Obama-controlled EDA to make a hash out of what should be an easily useful information tool. Of course fuel-economy ratings will be essentially meaningless if they're compared to all cars instead of vehicles within a given segment. Of course any decent-sized vehicle is going to look bad for fuel-economy if the only vehicles considered excellent are Toyota Priuses and smart cars. It's a mercy these new fuel-economy stickers are in the consultation stage, but, given the track record of this Administration, I'm not optimistic the final product will be anything useful. More likely than not, the stickers will scare prospective buyers off the vehicles with the size they really need and into cars they're sure to find too small. For the same reason, automakers will also suffer, because making them sell smaller cars will lead to smaller profits. Couple that with the Obama Administration's draconian new fuel-economy regulations, and it's likely the auto sector--and moreover automotive consumers--will continue hurting for years to come. It's the same old story: Whatever this Administration appears to give with one hand, it takes away with regulations and taxes. What a sorry state.
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