Hybrid cars and EPA estimates: This is War
How many articles have you read about hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, and how they don't achieve EPA estimates?
For the record, the Prius CAN meet EPA estimates. If you are on the highway you have to drive 55 mph, without air conditioning, without excessive wind, and on flat roads. However, in city driving, the Prius can achieve 60 mpg, even with the AC on, but that isn't the point.
The real point is the gross inaccuracy of EPA estimates on ALL vehicles. According to some studies, the average CONVENTIONAL vehicle - not hybrid - falls short of its EPA fuel efficiency ratings by as much as 35%!
In fact, according to the Detroit News, the latest effort to fix the EPA fuel efficiency ratings wasn't prevented by Toyota to protect its hybrids, rather it was blocked by Detroit. HMMM, I wonder what Detroit has to hide? Are Detroit's gas guzzlers even far more gas guzzling than the EPA rates them? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's really annoying to hear about how Japan, or China, don't act fairly towards the U.S. in the automarket because of protectionism by those countries. Yet, what is it when Congress refuses to increase fuel efficiency standards, refuses to make EPA estimates actually reflect real world driving, hides EPA reports demonstrating how the Big 3 utilize loopholes to avoid making their vehicles more fuel efficient, and adds diesels and silly caps to the clean vehicle tax credit that punish Toyota?
That's playing fair?
For decades the U.S. Congress has protected and continues to protect the gross inefficiencies of the Big 3, and what has it given America? Rollover scandals, 2 wars in Iraq, extreme American hate throughout the Middle East, and a War on Terror.
That's the real issue.
So, the next time you read a journalist start to discuss the shortcomings of hybrids by noting that they don't achieve EPA estimates, realize you are dealing with either an ignorant journalist, or a biased media whore.
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