MPG is certainly a topic that continues to have importance in today's world. MPG of course stands for miles per gallon and it is used as a barometer of how fuel efficient a given automobile is. Improving and being aware of fuel efficiency is critical for several reasons.
Two years ago, GM famously said that the Chevrolet Volt would be able to achieve a 230 MPG. This prediction garnered headline news as the average MPG for a passenger car in the US is somewhere between 20 and 25 mpg. The EPA would later dismiss GM's claim as it was based on a formula that never received approval, however the stir it created underscores our Nations interest in improved MPG.
Over the past 12 months, gas prices have sky rocketed. According to GasBuddy, the average price of gas a year ago was $2.68 and today it sits at about $3.71. That represents a 38% increase in the cost of gas. At the same time, the Nation continues to be in the middle of hard times financially with over 8% of the workforce being unemployed. These two factors have greatly contributed to the interest in MPG, as automobile owners look to decrease what they are spending to get from point A to point B. For someone who drives often, a more fuel efficient vehicle can translate into major monthly savings for the driver.
Another major factor to be considered with MPG is the environmental issues. Driving a car pollutes the air - that is a simple fact of life. However, an improvement in the fuel efficiency of an automobile will decrease the pollution that it releases into the air. Unfortunately, many of the types of cars we are driving continue to be extremely harmful for the environment. For instance, 50 years ago, there were no SUV vehicles on the road which essentially guzzle gas and leave a much worse impact on the environment when compared with most other vehicles. In addition to the concern of global warming, health issues are a great concern to those living in areas with a high level of exhaust from automobiles. Increased respiratory problems, as a result of vehicle emissions, continues to be a major reason why city living is not ideal for many. Each year, as more evidence of global warming presents itself, the environmental impact of cars becomes of added importance to drivers; and an improvement in MPG is one way to help the environment.
All automobile owners should become aware of the MPG of their vehicle. MPGFacts.com makes the process extremely simple as you can quickly drill down by Make and Year to find the MPG for most vehicles sold in the US. You will be able to learn both the city MPG and the highway MPG enabling you to more accurately estimate what your actual MPG is. If your car can get a city mpg of 25+ and a highway mpg of 32+; that would generally be considered a very solid MPG rating. Another metric you can use is to compare your next car to your current car with the goal of increasing fuel efficiency. If we all improved MPG each time we changed cars - this nation and environment would be on a better track.
Read the original article on ResourceWebs. Copyright 2011.