Click to enlarge.
From our friends across the pond comes a timely warning today about wars and government fuel economy policies. [AutoInformed is thinking here about the relaxation of fuel economy standards by the Trump mis-administration, as well as its foreign wars and trade policies that are hurting U.S. motorists, among other hapless victims – AutoCrat.]*
“Declining fuel efficiency has increased British motorists’ exposure to global conflict, a new analysis from Vehicle Data Global (VDG) has revealed. Fuel economy already worsened over the past decade, with British cars now thirstier than ever before, but the Ukraine war and then the Iran conflict starkly revealed the cost of motorists’ preference for ever bigger cars,” said a report from Vehicle Data Global.**
“Our analysis shows that spikes in fuel prices are only part of the story about increased costs for motorists said Ben Hermer, Operations Director of Vehicle Data Global, “Increasing average car size and weight have taken a toll on fuel efficiency and exposed us all the more to sudden shocks to energy markets, such as the Ukraine and Iran conflicts.”
Data technology specialists Vehicle Data Global (VDG) report that average petrol car fuel efficiency peaked at 55 mpg in 2016, then fell back to 47 mpg today, caused by cars becoming bigger and heavier. Average petrol MPG is now roughly where it was in 2006.
“The picture is worse for diesel car efficiency, which also peaked in 2016 at 64 mpg, but is now just over 43 mpg. This is even worse than 2006’s 47 mpg.
“A taste for SUV and crossover cars is largely to blame for the reduction in fuel economy. New SUV body-style registrations have climbed over 20 years from 6.7% of the market to 59.5% last year. And VDG has identified that this was accompanied by a 25% increase in average car weight.
“But despite increases in comfort and safety, two wars in four years have exposed motorists to major fuel price surges, as Britain saw the biggest fuel cost spike on record when the Iran conflict began,” said VDG.
*AutoInformed on
**Vehicle Data Global
Vehicle Data Global describes itself as” an industry leading bulk data provider, which enables businesses across the automotive sector. Through cutting edge technology, they provide vehicle data information, spanning multiple international markets. VDG serves two billion data lookups a year, to clients across the entire global automotive ecosystem, including fleet & leasing, retail, insurance, finance, manufacturers and automotive publishers. The Vehicle Data Global team includes experts with deep experience in automotive data from across international markets, many of whom came from other major data providers, along with top flight developers and technology experts focused on providing seamless access to vehicle data worldwide.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Why Wars Are Costing Motorists So Much
Click to enlarge.
From our friends across the pond comes a timely warning today about wars and government fuel economy policies. [AutoInformed is thinking here about the relaxation of fuel economy standards by the Trump mis-administration, as well as its foreign wars and trade policies that are hurting U.S. motorists, among other hapless victims – AutoCrat.]*
“Declining fuel efficiency has increased British motorists’ exposure to global conflict, a new analysis from Vehicle Data Global (VDG) has revealed. Fuel economy already worsened over the past decade, with British cars now thirstier than ever before, but the Ukraine war and then the Iran conflict starkly revealed the cost of motorists’ preference for ever bigger cars,” said a report from Vehicle Data Global.**
“Our analysis shows that spikes in fuel prices are only part of the story about increased costs for motorists said Ben Hermer, Operations Director of Vehicle Data Global, “Increasing average car size and weight have taken a toll on fuel efficiency and exposed us all the more to sudden shocks to energy markets, such as the Ukraine and Iran conflicts.”
Data technology specialists Vehicle Data Global (VDG) report that average petrol car fuel efficiency peaked at 55 mpg in 2016, then fell back to 47 mpg today, caused by cars becoming bigger and heavier. Average petrol MPG is now roughly where it was in 2006.
“The picture is worse for diesel car efficiency, which also peaked in 2016 at 64 mpg, but is now just over 43 mpg. This is even worse than 2006’s 47 mpg.
“A taste for SUV and crossover cars is largely to blame for the reduction in fuel economy. New SUV body-style registrations have climbed over 20 years from 6.7% of the market to 59.5% last year. And VDG has identified that this was accompanied by a 25% increase in average car weight.
“But despite increases in comfort and safety, two wars in four years have exposed motorists to major fuel price surges, as Britain saw the biggest fuel cost spike on record when the Iran conflict began,” said VDG.
*AutoInformed on
**Vehicle Data Global
Vehicle Data Global describes itself as” an industry leading bulk data provider, which enables businesses across the automotive sector. Through cutting edge technology, they provide vehicle data information, spanning multiple international markets. VDG serves two billion data lookups a year, to clients across the entire global automotive ecosystem, including fleet & leasing, retail, insurance, finance, manufacturers and automotive publishers. The Vehicle Data Global team includes experts with deep experience in automotive data from across international markets, many of whom came from other major data providers, along with top flight developers and technology experts focused on providing seamless access to vehicle data worldwide.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.