AAA slams current fuel consumption testing

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has issued a press release citing its real-world testing program as evidence that the current official method of testing fuel consumption and emissions is not working for motorists.

According to the AAA, some vehicles are using considerably more fuel in the real-world testing than they should, compared with the respective ADR 81 01/02 combined-cycle test figure. And, the AAA also notes, some cars are emitting as much as seven times the legal limit for certain toxic emissions.

The AAA has said it will step up its campaign lobbying government to introduce real-world emissions testing for new cars – and disseminate the results to consumers.

“More stringent emissions laws are meant to reduce pollution and drive down fuel use, however our results suggest such benefits largely occur only in the laboratory," says AAA Chief Executive Michael Bradley.

“Popular cars on the Australian market are using up to 59 per cent more fuel than advertised and emitting more than seven times the legal limit of some noxious emissions. It’s becoming clear that as emissions standards tighten, the gap between laboratory results and real-world results is widening, meaning consumers and the environment are increasingly being ripped off.”

The AAA's initiative has been inspired by a similar campaign in Europe, where Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' scandal has pulled other car manufacturers into the vortex of public condemnation, in some cases even companies that claim they haven't cheated.

The ADR (Australian Design Rule) test procedure is often carried out in a laboratory, by the car company that manufactures the vehicle in question. It's a regime that's susceptible to abuse, the AAA argues, and the government should back an independent fuel consumption/emissions testing process.

“Australian motorists have a right to accurate information about fuel consumption and environmental performance when buying a new car. The current system is misleading consumers and regulators. Only real world testing can drive down costs to consumers and deliver meaningful environmental benefit,” Bradley states in the press release.

Supporting the AAA's initiative is AFMA, the Australasian Fleet Management Association. In a complementary press release that association echoed the AAA's sentiments, AFMA welcomed the idea of RDE (Real-world Driving Emissions) testing by an independent body, much as ANCAP does for crash-safety testing.

“Based on AAA’s RDE tests selecting the vehicle that achieves its published fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is basically a lottery,” Executive Director Mace Hartley was quoted saying.

“It would be great for Australia to match processes soon to be adopted by London, Paris and many other cities across the world. An RDE testing regime just makes sense, it allows the government to provide accurate fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to fleet owners, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and reducing tonnes of CO2 annually.”

Noting the 59 per cent disparity mentioned by the AAA, AFMA's statement also observed that it works the other way too – with one car achieving a real-world test result four per cent below its official figure, proving the inequity of the official system. It's not comparing apples with apples, which is the basis on which educated buyers accept the laboratory testing. At least the cars tested are subject to the same skewed protocol, buyers console themselves. The RDE test suggests that's not the case, however.

AFMA has a particular axe to grind, representing as it does fleet operators who may be paying more for fuel across hundreds or even thousands of vehicles.

To date, the AAA has tested 30 vehicles using its real-world testing process. One, a plug-in hybrid, posted fuel use "more than four times" its official figure. On that point, the AAA argues that consumers are paying more for fuel-saving technology like plug-in hybrid systems, but not seeing the sort of benefits they expect. But the AAA did not specifically explain how it arrived at the final test figure for the plug-in vehicle, which in the 'real' real world will rely heavily on owners plugging it into an electric power outlet at night to minimise fuel consumption.

The AAA's test results so far are listed at a dedicated website, but the vehicles involved in the testing have not been identified.