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When it comes to measuring fuel economy, miles per gallon (MPG) is the most commonly used unit of measurement. However, MPG is not without its flaws. In this blog post, we will discuss why MPG is a flawed unit of measurement for fuel economy and provide a better alternative.
The Problem with MPG
MPG is a measure of how far a vehicle can travel on a single gallon of fuel. However, MPG does not take into account the size of the vehicle or the weight of the passengers and cargo. This means that a small, lightweight vehicle will get better MPG than a large, heavy vehicle, even if both vehicles are equally fuel-efficient.
For example, a Toyota Prius gets an EPA-estimated 58 MPG in the city and 53 MPG on the highway. A Ford F-150, on the other hand, gets an EPA-estimated 18 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway. This means that the Prius gets more than twice the MPG of the F-150. However, the Prius is a small, lightweight car, while the F-150 is a large, heavy truck. When you take into account the size and weight of the two vehicles, the F-150 is actually more fuel-efficient than the Prius.
A Better Alternative
A better unit of measurement for fuel economy is gallons per 100 miles (GP100). GP100 takes into account the size and weight of the vehicle, so it provides a more accurate comparison of fuel efficiency between different vehicles.
For example, the Toyota Prius gets an EPA-estimated 4.3 GP100 in the city and 4.7 GP100 on the highway. The Ford F-150 gets an EPA-estimated 13.9 GP100 in the city and 10.4 GP100 on the highway. This means that the Prius is more fuel-efficient than the F-150, even when you take into account the size and weight of the two vehicles.
Conclusion
MPG is a flawed unit of measurement for fuel economy because it does not take into account the size or weight of the vehicle. GP100 is a better alternative because it takes these factors into account, providing a more accurate comparison of fuel efficiency between different vehicles.