Australian Vehicles Fall Short on Fuel Efficiency & EV Range

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) reports that ten additional vehicles have failed to meet their promised fuel efficiency or electric vehicle (EV) range during real-world testing, contributing to Australia's challenges in reducing transport emissions.

The AAA's latest tests confirmed that 76% of new petrol, diesel, and hybrid vehicles consume more fuel on roads than indicated by mandatory laboratory testing.

These tests, funded by the federal government, involved 141 petrol, diesel, and hybrid vehicles conducted around Geelong, Victoria.

Fuel Efficiency Gaps Exposed

Specific discrepancies found in real-world conditions include:

• GWM's Tank 300 used 25% more fuel per 100km compared to lab results.
• Honda's HR-V used 19% more fuel.
• Hyundai's Santa Fe used 11% more fuel.

Previous AAA tests also identified GWM's Haval H6 and Haval Jolion Hybrid using more fuel than advertised. However, the Haval Jolion 3023 was found to be more fuel-efficient than its lab results indicated.

Implications for Emission Targets

AAA managing director Michael Bradley stated that vehicles with higher real-world emissions could hinder government efforts to reduce overall vehicle emissions. Car manufacturers are required to test emissions for each vehicle sold and face potential penalties under the Albanese government’s new vehicle efficiency standard (NVES) if they exceed emissions limits.

Recently, only two-thirds of regulated vehicle suppliers met their 2025 emissions target, with companies like Mazda, Nissan, and Subaru facing potential penalties up to $25 million. Bradley noted that AAA's independent testing helps track real-world emissions against NVES and laboratory claims.

Understanding the Performance Gap

Professor Dongke Zhang, an energy expert, mentioned that variations in real-world driving can lead motorists to use more petrol than advertised, complicating comparisons.

Bradley highlighted that the AAA program found no consistent pattern for the performance gap, with a minority of models even proving more efficient on roads. This suggests no reliable "fudge factor" for consumers.

Electric Vehicles Fall Short on Range

Regarding electric vehicles, the AAA has tested nine models, none of which delivered their advertised range. The latest report added two more EVs to this list:

• The BMW iX1 electric SUV achieved 360km on a full battery, a 10% shortfall from its advertised 400km range.
• The BYD Seal traveled 488km, a 25% gap from its advertised 650km range.
• Previous testing of BYD's Atto 3 found a 23% gap.

Boosting EV Buyer Confidence

Australia has a slower EV adoption rate compared to other nations, with EVs constituting 12% of new sales in the latter half of the previous year. Bradley suggested that such testing could build buyer confidence by providing accurate real-world range information, addressing common concerns like range anxiety and charging infrastructure access.