Hi Bryce,
I’m wondering about the energy consumption for the MG4 Excite 51 published by MG.  The figure is 18.4 kWh per 100km. None of these figures seem particularly congruent with the WLTP claimed ranges and usable battery capacity. If the Excite 51 figure is right then the range is only 276km. This seems about right for 100-110 km/h highway driving. If this is the usage case, then shouldn’t the other cars’ economy reflect the same conditions?
I also am wondering if an Australian specific site for recording energy use per 100 km exists?Â
Regards
Charles
Hi Charles – ah, the quirks of standards for measuring vehicle efficiencies … and how vehicle manufacturers work hard to get the best figures using those test standards. (Or, in the case of VW’s outright cheating: the Dieselgate scandal relating to VW diesel vehicles produced between 2008-15).
Re the first part of your question: I checked the MG website and MG4 brochure again and they still quote 18.4 kWh/100km for the Excite and much higher efficiencies for the other versions. As to why, I can only surmise it is a quirk of the test cycle, but will quiz the relevant person at MG for you when I next get the chance.
The key is the test cycle covers a set distance and range of speeds against which all cars have to report their results. Quirks can occur – with PHEVs being a good example. (I will by the way expand on PHEV range testing a bit later in this article).
Also, these tests are done in specialised vehicle emission laboratories by the vehicle manufacturers according to the mandated test cycle. Whilst these laboratories are audited by governments, they are generally not government owned/run.
In Europe, this data is then reported by the manufacturers to government as part of their requirement to calculate overall fleet sales efficiencies to meet European greenhouse gas emissions targets.
Back in the early 90’s, Europe came up with the NEDC test standard/cycle – which became infamous for giving unrealistic range, efficiency and pollution figures. (Whilst NEDC stands for ‘New European Driving Cycle’, it would be better described as ‘Not Even Darn Close’).
As a result of these criticisms, in 2017 Europe replaced the NEDC standard with WLTP. (Worldwide Light vehicle Testing Protocol). WLTP generally gives reasonably realistic range, efficiency and pollution figures for European driving conditions.
However, going by some recent vehicle releases, it seems the manufacturers are yet again coming up with ways to ‘optimise’ the number. (For Australian driving conditions where we do more outer suburban and highway driving, I would also suggest reducing the WLTP range number by around 10%).
The US Environmental protection Authority has also created their own vehicle test standards (the US EPA test cycle) which is based on the types of driving done in the US.
(The US EPA test cycle includes more highway and higher suburban speed driving than the European WLTP). That range number is generally 10-15% less than WLTP – and the best to use here if you do a lot of highway driving.
Australia does not use WLTP, or even the US EPA number. Instead, we effectively adopted NEDC as ADR (Australian Design Rule) 81/02 back in 2008 and, with minor amendments, ADR 81/02 remains in place to this day.
Also, whilst there is in Australia a central database for compliance information such as weight, length, seatbelts etc, it doesn’t include efficiency. The closest to that is the Government’s Green Vehicle Guide, but it uses ADR81/02 – which is effectively NEDC.
So to answer the second part of your query: the Australian test cycle figures for EVs (as well as ICE vehicles) are pretty much useless for getting a real-world efficiency or range.
Thankfully, virtually all BEVs sold here quote the WLTP number on their websites and brochures (sometimes alongside the ADR 81/02 number – so keep an eye out for which test cycle the headline website number uses).
On the other hand, when it comes to PHEVs the manufacturers still mostly use the ADR 81/02 (NEDC) figure as it gives longer driving ranges. (The NEDC test cycle is also rather over-generous when it comes to PHEV testing … and the manufacturers are very happy to take advantage of it).
The BYD Sealion 6 and Shark PHEV ute EV-only ranges of around 100 km are a case in point. That is an ADR 81/02 figure and a realistic number would likely be around 70 km. (Still pretty good … but not the headline-grabbing three figure one!)
Moving forward, thankfully the days of ADR 81/02 are numbered. From January 2025 the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) come into place here.
These include enforceable CO2-e emissions standards. In addition, at the end of 2025 Euro 6d fuel quality standards will also apply here. This will (finally) mean the end of our very poor quality, high sulphur/high aromatics fuel and the ability to bring in vehicles built for Euro 6d fuels.
Alongside these changes will come a new test cycle and labelling scheme – although how long till this is reflected in new car windscreen labels is not yet sorted.
We can only hope that it is not too long before the Green Vehicle Guide and windscreen label reflects the WLTP (or better still, US EPA) number.
Mind-you, it might be a while before all new cars are rated under the new scheme: there will likely be a 2-4 year change-over as existing models will carry-over with ADR 81/02 numbers (the same happened when WLTP started in Europe … introduced in 2017, it was only by late 2019 that all cars were tested to the WLTP standard).
Apologies Charles for the long-winded answer, but it was a seemingly simple pair of questions that required a complicated answer!
Notes:
- For more on the comparison of NEDC and WLTP and how the test cycles work, see my 2019 article on the topic here.
- For a collated source of ADR 81/02, WLTP and US EPA figures for Australian delivered BEVs (where available – not all BEVs are sold in all three markets), see the individual BEV model Fact Sheets at aeva.au/fact-sheets
Editor’s note: Highway driving at 100-10o km/h will always give significantly less range than on the sticker, which is usually derived from a combination of city and country driving, and a lot of driving at a leisurely pace of around 80 km/h.
Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.