New controversy: WLTP fuel consumption may be 30% higher than declared

Until a few years ago, fuel consumption calculations were carried out according to the NEDC cycle. This was used for several years and subjected vehicles to various tests to check their fuel consumption and emissions of polluting gases. But recently the system has switched to the measurement method known as WLTP, which is more accurate and includes tests under real-world driving conditions. This has meant that the data are, in theory, closer to reality.

But we say “in theory” because, once again, controversy has arisen around these tests. In cars tested under the NEDC cycle, the most numerous in the European vehicle fleet until now, the excess consumption over the advertised figure averaged 60%. With the introduction of WLTP testing, the aim was to eliminate this measurement flaw. But according to users of the collaborative platform MILE2, this is not the case.

The OCU points to errors in WLTP measurement

It was the OCU, the Organización de Consumidores Unidos (Spanish consumer organisation), that pointed out that hthere are serious problems with fuel consumption and emissions measurement under the WLTP cycle. Using data submitted by several users of this European platform, the OCU has detected consumption 30% higher than advertised by manufacturers for their vehicles.

This is a serious blow to the car industry, because it means that the gap between advertised and real consumption remains very high. How can this problem be solved? On the one hand, there are serious doubts that the tests can record real consumption data correctly, or at least with greater accuracy. As a result, when choosing a vehicle it is hard to know its real consumption until it has been driven for some time.

To get closer to real consumption, the OCU recommends following the efficient driving tips we have shared in other articles. Following these tips can save up to 5% of fuel, which amounts to around 50 euros a year, based on 20,000 kilometres driven per year. It is not much, but it offers some relief from the hefty annual fuel bill we pay.