International Truck MPG – Why US National Ratings Differ

There are many differences between US domestic trucks and international trucks. One of them is that international truck mpg (miles per gallon) figures are rated much higher than their American counterparts for the same truck class and type. This specific difference is due to many reasons.

These reasons are due to many differences. One of them is that domestic trucks that sail in the US are manufactured by US-based automakers. These manufacturers follow SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) standards, while trucks made in Europe follow European standards and trucks made in China and Japan follow their own standards.

Differences in different standards cause a change in the fuel economy of vehicles made in the US and those made elsewhere. Part of the difference is due to different criteria specified in these different standards. However, the commonality of the different standards outside of the US is that most of the criteria result in the manufacture of a similar class of trucks with almost similar mpg characteristics.

US-made trucks generally lag slightly behind in actual mpg of comparable truck models. Part of this is also due to the influence of the big three of the US auto industry, namely GM, Ford and Chrysler in the US federal government.

These companies have invested too much in their sheet metal plants to make drastic changes to the manufacturing process and materials. That is why their truck models are heavier. Therefore, they have lower fuel economy than most European and Japanese truck models. Japanese models, in particular, have incorporated more material-related and other technological innovations to reduce truck weight and save fuel.

Part of the reason American trucks are heavier lies in the fact that they are equipped with more powerful engines. More powerful engines consume more fuel and result in lower fuel economy. Even these American manufacturers cannot be blamed because American truck consumers have had a traditional and specific penchant for powerful vehicles. However, with gas prices climbing past the $ 4 per gallon mark, this is set for a change as fuel economy is having a bigger impact on the US market than before.

The US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has also tried to correct course to update truck mpg ratings by lowering their previously published ratings to sync with practically achievable figures.

Rate the miles per gallon of various current trucks and cars circulating in the US annually. Classify different vehicles into different classes. Even custom configurations for hybrids and other trucks are EPA-rated.

The traditional perspective of the people in the US towards the fuel economy of trucks is also one of the reasons for the difference. Also, people in the US have traditionally had much more money to worry about the high speed of trucks and its consequent adverse impact on fuel economy. International truck mpg figures are more realistic and better. This is due to an awareness of the impact of rising crude oil prices and running trucks at lower optimal speeds to achieve greater fuel economy.