Hybrid economy figures

[Clitheroekid]

Reading a review of the new Range Rover hybrid (a mere £105,865 for the base model) the claimed EU combined economy was 101 mpg.

The review says: “With the battery 80 percent full at the start of the drive (showing an EV range of only 16 miles) we saw average fuel consumption of 25 mpg with the system set in hybrid mode using the battery where ever possible. This figure dropped to 17 mpg when the battery charge had been depleted and the car was operating as a petrol four-wheel-drive.”

This level of deception makes Dieselgate look tame by comparison. Why are the EU official figures so absurdly inaccurate, and why are they allowed to publish them at all, knowing that car buyers will be so seriously misled?

I can’t help thinking that these false figures are being promulgated - or at the very least allowed to be published - to support a political agenda in favour of electric vehicles.

Incidentally, a long term (16,000 mile) test by Autocar of a conventional diesel powered Range Rover Sport (which one would expect to be more fuel-hungry than the ordinary RR) delivered an overall average fuel consumption of 26.5 mpg. And it cost £65k to buy.

[redsturgeon]

Reading a review of the new Range Rover hybrid (a mere £105,865 for the base model) the claimed EU combined economy was 101 mpg.

I can’t help thinking that these false figures are being promulgated - or at the very least allowed to be published - to support a political agenda in favour of electric vehicles.

Possibly true. My BMW PHEV has a fuel consumption of about 45 mpg on a long run but if I just use it around town for a week then I won't use any petrol at all, not a drop. So how do you come up with a realistic figure for that? I think the official stats say about 150mpg.

I love it for the way it delivers its power though.

John

[nmdhqbc]

I'd guess the standard test which the manufacturers have to do and publish was designed before plug ins were a thing. Makes no sense with them. They need an on electric and off electric test separately. Also no-one ever drives like the test which is true with ICE cars also. Figures are always best behavior driving. They'd be aggravating other drivers constantly driving that slow.

[richlist]

Then it's about time they came up with a real world test that buyers can rely on.

It's hardly acceptable picking a number like 101mpg that means absolutely nothing to a large proportion of buyers because it doesnt reflect their usage.

It's not rocket science to improve on the extremely poor attempt that is currently on offer.

[nmdhqbc]

It's hardly acceptable picking a number like 101mpg

Not sure who you are talking about as doing the "picking" here. I'm sure you get that it's not the manufacturer. The test is standard. Just in case anyone is mislead.

[richlist]

I get the fact that it's a standard test.

But, it's clearly not fit for purpose.

So, whoever sets the standard for the tests within the EU needs to drop the current approach and provide something better.

Nobody is benefiting from this inappropriate test and it's making everyone associated with it look stupid.

What's so amazing is that it's not particularly difficult to see how it could be significantly improved.

[jackdaww]

I love it for the way it delivers its power though.

John

===============================

i guess this nice power delivery is via an automatic CVT gearbox ?.

[redsturgeon]

I love it for the way it delivers its power though.

John

===============================

i guess this nice power delivery is via an automatic CVT gearbox ?.

No, it is a conventional auto box.

John

[wheypat]

But how do you do a real world test? If the range on electricity is 30 miles, and you go to and from work (distance of 10 miles) the you never use petrol. Should your trip to work be 40 miles then you use some. 100 miles and you use a lot.

I think the only answer would be to quote mpg based on solely using petrol, with a disclaimer that if you use electrical you'll get better MPG than this.

[jackdaww]

I love it for the way it delivers its power though.

John

===============================

i guess this nice power delivery is via an automatic CVT gearbox ?.

No, it is a conventional auto box.

John

===========================

so it is .

just looked on the web - the technology is mind blowing !

thanks

[redsturgeon]

===============================

i guess this nice power delivery is via an automatic CVT gearbox ?.

No, it is a conventional auto box.

John

===========================

so it is .

just looked on the web - the technology is mind blowing !

thanks

Yes, I bought it for that unique combination of on demand electric or petrol drive or a combination giving 225bhp and a 0-60 of 6.5secs...or in the real world great overtaking ability. The 4 wheel drive is also occasionally useful. The other big advantage for us though is that we run it through the company so the benefit in kind is about a quarter of a similar petrol car.

Back on topic though, for us we do most of our driving within the (admittedly small) battery range so our real world economy is significantly better than conventional fuels, sorry I have not been organised enough to actual keep records to give a real figure.

John