Featured The EQUA Index - real world testing results

Source: http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/mark-phelan/2017/10/06/gas-mileage-fuel-economy-window-stickers/730153001/

U.S. car buyers now have access to real-world fuel economy and emissions data on new vehicles, courtesy of a research group that helped reveal that Volkswagen was evading European emissions regulations in addition to cheating on U.S. tests.​

Source: EQUA Index - Independent real-world driving data

• 58.5 MPG - 2017 Prius Prime
• 54.6 MPG - 2014 Plug-in Prius
• 50.0 MPG - 2014 Prius
• 47.2 MPG - 2014 Prius c

They have more Prius model results using their "forecasted" versus the above "tested."

Bob Wilson

 

That is one reason why I didn't cite their 'forecast' values. The EPA values come from metrics and these folks appear to actually test some cars. But unlike Consumer Reports, they appear to have more accurate metrics and what may be a reproducible protocol. Remember, they provided the evidence of the diesel cheat that Consumer Reports failed.

Bob Wilson

 

I took your advice and found this on the home page:

For his 13th birthday the ADAC EcoTest was reworked and this time also stricter and more demanding. As before, it is about reaching as many of the five possible stars as possible. Points for low consumption (or low CO2 emissions) and for as little pollutant emission (eg NOx or particles) are the basis.

Fundamental innovation in 2016: the addition of measurements on the road. With a new PEMS (Portable Emission Measurement System), emissions are measured on the road in normal traffic.

The measurements are carried out with any vehicle which reaches four or five stars on the test bench. With the RDE measurement (Real Driving Emissions), it is ultimately checked whether the good results on the test stand are also implemented in practice. Vehicles with three or fewer stars, which are not particularly clean at the test stand, are not tested separately on the road as they are only conditionally or not recommended under ecological aspects.
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First I congratulate them on their testing upgrade. However, they've been doing this for "13 years" yet missed the diesel fraud. Of course our own EPA and CARB failed too. It was a UK team that got the first credible results that led to unraveling the fraud.

Bob Wilson

 

Although West Virginia University had the technology that was developed to deal with cheating semitrailer trucks, my understanding is an EU group actually started the effort trying to support the existence of USA 'clean diesel.' Either as part of or in parallel to this paper:
New insights from comprehensive on-road measurements of NOx, NO2 and NH3 from vehicle emission remote sensing in London, UK - ScienceDirect

In this paper we report the first direct measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the UK using a vehicle emission remote sensing technique. Measurements of NO, NO2 and ammonia (NH3) from almost 70,000 vehicles were made spanning vehicle model years from 1985 to 2012. These measurements were carefully matched with detailed vehicle information data to understand the emission characteristics of a wide range of vehicles in a detailed way. Overall it is found that only petrol fuelled vehicles have shown an appreciable reduction in total NOx emissions over the past 15–20 years. Emissions of NOx from diesel vehicles, including those with after-treatment systems designed to reduce emissions of NOx, have not reduced over the same period of time. It is also evident that the vehicle manufacturer has a strong influence on emissions of NO2 for Euro 4/5 diesel cars and urban buses. Smaller-engined . . .​

Thanks to @GrumpyCabbie who posted: VW Faces $17B Fine for Emissions Scam | Page 3 | PriusChat

Source: Emission tests 'substantially underestimate' pollution pumped out by diesels - Telegraph

By David Motton
2:48PM BST 29 May 2014

Diesel cars emit around three times more NOx pollution in congested traffic than is permitted in current European emissions tests, according to research by Imperial College London and Emissions Analytics.

The study analysed the exhaust emissions of 12 diesel cars, all of which met today’s euro 5 emissions standard when tested in laboratory conditions. “We found that low-average-speed, stop-start driving dramatically increases levels of NOx emissions,” says Nick Molden, CEO of Emissions Analytics.

NOx (a generic term for nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) can be harmful to the lungs, especially in people with existing respiratory conditions. Diesels produce far more NOx than petrol vehicles (current European regulations allow a diesel passenger car to produce three times as much NOx as its petrol equivalent).

Data was obtained on the road rather than in a lab, collecting gases from cars’ exhaust pipes for analysis. Each vehicle followed a standard urban and suburban test route, chosen to represent typical UK driving conditions.​

Another source: Real-driving emissions from cars and light commercial vehicles – Results from 13 years remote sensing at Zurich/CH - ScienceDirect



Ah ha! Found it: EPA's notice of violation of the Clean Air Act to Volkswagen [press statement] | International Council on Clean Transportation

. . .
The EPA and CARB action has its beginnings in an ICCT research project done in collaboration with West Virginia University during 2013 and 2014, which aimed to evaluate real-world operating emissions from light-duty diesel vehicles in the United States. The ICCT conducted in-use tests, using portable emissions modeling systems, on three vehicles: a VW Jetta, a VW Passat, and a BMW X5.
. . .
"The BMW vehicle's performance on the in-use tests shows that the technology needed to meet the U.S. motor vehicle air pollution emission standards for diesels is available," said Francisco Posada, who led the research project.

John German, U.S. program lead for the ICCT, said that "The huge discrepancy in real-world performance among these vehicles makes it clear that without vigilant enforcement of air pollution laws, companies that comply with the standards will be placed at a competitive disadvantage. If left unchecked that could undermine the whole regulatory framework. That's why the actions by EPA and CARB are so important."

Drew Kodjak emphasized that excessive pollutant emissions during real-world driving is not something confined to the United States. ICCT research studies in Europe have repeatedly found large and growing gaps between real world emissions and the regulatory certification levels. “This is a global problem that will require a coordinated global solution,” said Kodjak.
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The University of West Virginia did the heavy lifting with the EPA and CARB for the USA investigation. But it appears it was on-the-road testing in London/UK and Zurich/Switzerland that first revealed something wrong was going on. One thing then led to another.

Bob Wilson

ps. Still pissed about all the hours wasted analyzing Jetta TDI mileage claims. <GERRRRR>