1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

UK Vs. US MPG

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by floppyarms, Oct 9, 2009.

  1. floppyarms

    floppyarms New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    40
    3
    7
    Location:
    Herts, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Sorry if this has been covered before, i think the forum search is buggered for me (typing in 'mpg' returned no results???)

    Some comments in PC have had me thinking and a quick google around explained that there is a difference between a UK MPG and US MPG:

    1 UK Imperial gallon = 4.55 litres
    1 US Liquid Gallon = 3.79 litres

    But as the Prius is make is Japan i wondered if there is an international standard or whether we really are barking up the wrong tree when trying to compare MPG's as a global community???

    *scratches head*

    Floppy.
     
  2. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,981
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    The US gallon is 32 oz and the imperial is 40 oz. I -think- the ounces are also different, but as those are obsolete measurements I can't be sure.

    Use Online Conversion - Fuel Consumption Conversion to convert. It does everything.

    I like l/100 km as an international standard, but as we all know, the nice thing about standards is there are so many to choose from!
     
  3. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    1,610
    246
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Ummmm - Not on this planet...

    32oz is (4) 8 oz cups, (2) 16 oz pints, (1) quart, (1/2) of a 1/2 gallon, and (1/4) of a gallon. A US gallon is exactly 128 oz
     
  4. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    1,610
    246
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Unit Conversions has a decent US - Imp converter.

    That said, I would be interested to know if they have less smog etc - creating better mileage.

    The UK Prius site Toyota Prius Interior, Exterior & Colours | Prius | Toyota UK mentions 72.4 MPG!!! That equates to 60.3 MPG!!! It would be interesting if there are some smog/performance things they get away with over there - that we don't.

    Especially since some states (CA for one) have exempted the Prius from any smog testing :rolleyes:
     
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Besides the difference in what constitutes a Gallon, the US EPA test and the EU Directive 93/116/EC test are different tests and would always get different results.
     
  6. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    1,610
    246
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I fully understand that - the question does remain - do we get worse, better, or the same mileage - all things equal...
     
  7. floppyarms

    floppyarms New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    40
    3
    7
    Location:
    Herts, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    OK, so the way i see it 50mpg in the US is approx 60mpg in the UK.

    US - UK
    50 - 60
    55 - 66
    60 - 72
    65 - 78
    70 - 84

    I was wondering why 50pmg was so much to rave about when i have been getting that for quite some time in my diesel Peugoet 407. But 60mpg as a base point is much more like it. The UK toyota website lists 72mpg which would be 60(ish) in the US.

    Confused!
     
  8. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2009
    2,945
    2,736
    0
    Location:
    OK
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    The search function does not work on 3 letter words or shorter. One of the mods posted this factoid in a thread reply in the last few weeks, but I can't find it now and the FAQ on searching does not mention it.
     
    1 person likes this.
  9. Mike Dimmick

    Mike Dimmick Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2008
    963
    247
    0
    Location:
    Reading, UK
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The Imperial gallon is 20% larger than the US gallon.

    US and UK are the only countries that use miles-per-gallon (mpg). Japan uses kilometres-per-litre (km/L). The rest of the world uses litres-per-100-kilometres (L/100km). The US/UK/Japan scheme is good for measuring range on a tank, but the rest-of-the-world approach is better for working out cost for a given distance.

    The UK unit is stupid because we buy fuel in litres, not gallons.

    The EU driving cycle is much less rigorous than the US and tends to underestimate fuel consumption; the US tests if anything overestimate consumption, since the 2008 model year revamp. The Japanese 10-15 mode driving cycle is woefully inadequate, it gives translated figures of something like 96mpg as I recall, but even their new one is weaker than the EU. Or, possibly, more representative of driving in Japan. The EU tests are done in metric, rounded to 0.1L/100km, and then translated to miles and gallons for the UK market. As a result you will never see a value in the UK between 70.6 and 72.4mpg, which are 3.9L/100km and 3.8L/100km respectively.

    To compare how the tests are done see these sites:
    VCAcarfueldata.org.uk - Fuel Consumption Testing Scheme
    Fuel Economy Test Schedules

    Note that the test conditions are similar but the driving cycles utterly different, and that the US now includes air-conditioning, cold weather and high-speed driving in their numbers.

    The Gen 3 Prius is mechanically identical across all three markets with all the same emission-control technology, including exhaust heat capture and exhaust gas recirculation. The difference is the measurement.

    You should not convert results of these different tests to other units and compare, because you're not comparing like with like. Comparing another driver's results is fine if you have similar driving conditions and speeds, but don't necessarily expect to match or beat someone else with different conditions.
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. ronhowell

    ronhowell Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2007
    681
    32
    0
    Location:
    Cypress, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Thank you Mike ... a little overkill perhaps, but always good to read your comments, which besides being literate in the English language, a rarity in today's world, are rational and informative.
     
  11. wvgasguy

    wvgasguy New Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2009
    1,255
    185
    0
    Location:
    a
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Yea, our system is not confusing. 32 oz of gas would be 2 pounds. (Isn't there 16 oz in 1 pound?). So 128 oz would be 8 pounds. That makes gasoline heavier then water because I thought it weighed 7.48 pounds per gallon.

    (PS: Kids, pay no attention to this or you'll flunk math.)
     
  12. kevinwhite

    kevinwhite Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2006
    331
    199
    0
    Location:
    Los Gatos Ca
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    The values should be in Fluid ounces (fl oz) - this is the volume occupied by one oz of water (approximately).

    However the US fluid oz weighs about 29gm where the UK one is about 28.4 gms.

    So a US gallon of gasoline weighs about 6lbs, an Imperial gallon of gas (of course it is petrol really) weighs 7.2lbs.

    [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_units]Imperial units - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

    Kevin
     
  13. archermoo

    archermoo New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2006
    118
    8
    0
    Location:
    Pittsburg, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    According to the USGS water weighs 8.33 pounds per gallon. Remember "A Pint's a pound the world around". :)
     
  14. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    1,610
    246
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    How off we can get! Please read through the thread - we are talkin UK...:eek:

    32oz of gasoline would equate to close to a liter - which costs around £1.00/liter.

    So 32oz = 1 pound, 1 gallon~4 liters, and around 4 pounds (yes I am rounding).

    Now please go get a clue :cool:
     
  15. ronhowell

    ronhowell Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2007
    681
    32
    0
    Location:
    Cypress, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Confusing/not confusing!? Is the US ever going to get in step with the rest of the world and convert to the metric system, rather than continue with this antiquated set of measures inherited from ancient English monarchs? Life would be so much simpler, though the mental changes and cost would be considerable.
     
  16. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I have a 100 year plan to convert to Metric: Teach our children a sane way and wait for us old fogeys to die off.

    Thats quicker than all other plans, we have tried.
     
  17. OvertheHill

    OvertheHill New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2009
    6
    2
    0
    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I was taught metric measurements in school from an early age. My dad used imperial so I have grown up with a strange mix:

    - I measure speed in mph
    - I measure temperature in celsius
    - I measure short distances in cm, metres
    - I measure long distance in miles
    - I measure height in feet
    - I measure volume in litres

    So I put petrol in my car in litres but understand mpg!