EPA Statement on Recent Fuel Economy Changes

In conjunction with the official launch of the CARS program on July 24, 2009, the fuel economy data were updated on the fueleconomy.gov and cars.gov websites. This information was updated because more precise data are required by the new CARS legislation (to four decimal places), unlike the previously available mileage data, which was solely intended to guide consumers' vehicle purchases.  Of the 30,000 vehicle model types spanning 25 years, the result of converting to the more precise data needed for the CARS program meant that an additional 86 model types gained eligibility while 78 no longer qualify.

In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published new test methods for calculating fuel economy estimates that are posted on window stickers of new cars and trucks and on the website, fueleconomy.gov. These new methods, which took effect with model year 2008 vehicles, brought the miles per gallon (mpg) estimates closer to consumers' actual fuel economy by including factors such as high speeds, quicker accelerations, air conditioning use, and driving in cold temperatures.  

To make comparing mpg estimates for vehicles easier for consumers, we added a feature on fueleconomy.gov to convert the older label values for model year 2007 and earlier vehicles to the new "2008 Label" format.  These conversions were based on the original rounded fuel economy values, and needed to be updated with the increased precision to be included under the CARS program.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ruled on July 30 that transactions involving clunkers that turned qualified to disqualified will be honored by the government if they were consummated before the July 24 program launch date.  Vehicles that previously were not eligible as clunkers but became eligible with the mileage updates will be honored if the transactions were consummated after July 24.