Give an Electric Vehicle for the Holidays and Give Up To 121 MPGe
The Energy Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released the 2013 Fuel Economy Guide, giving consumers information to help them choose the most fuel-efficient and lowest greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles. The overall highest-ranking vehicle was the Scion iQ EV, a minicompact with a 121 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) rating. Some of the other cars topping their classes are: the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi Plug-in Hybrid and 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which tied for best in the midsized class with 58 MPGe for use of both electricity and gasoline; the 2013 Tesla Model S (60 kilowatt-hour battery pack), ranked best in the large car class with a 95 MPGe rating; and the 2013 Toyota Prius v, which topped the midsized wagon class with a 42 miles per gallon rating.
"The Fuel Economy Guide gives consumers easily accessible information to help them choose the vehicle that's right for them," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "Fuel efficient vehicles help families save money at the pump, continue to deliver on vehicle performance, and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil while limiting carbon pollution."
This year's guide gives consumers a broad range of information that they can use to select their next fuel-efficient vehicle, whether they want to consider an electric vehicle or one that uses a more conventional fuel. This year, for the first time, EPA and DOE have added a second top ten list of most efficient vehicles -- separating advanced technology vehicles from conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles. Electric and plug-in hybrid electric models are the most fuel-efficient and lowest-emission vehicles available today and are becoming more common. At the same time, consumers may still look up the conventional gasoline and diesel models that offer superior fuel efficiency.
The 2013 guide provides an estimated annual fuel cost for each vehicle. The estimate is calculated based on the vehicle's miles per gallon (mpg) rating and national estimates for annual mileage and fuel prices. The online version of the guide allows consumers to enter their local gasoline prices and typical driving habits to receive a personalized fuel cost estimate. The 2013 guide also includes a greenhouse gas rating for each model.
More information, including a complete version of the guide and details on the fuel economy labels:http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ and at http://fueleconomy.gov/m/ for mobile devices.
