Following the official release of real-world fuel consumption figures for 30 Peugeot, Citroën and DS models in July 2016, the PSA Group, Transport & Environment (T&E), France Nature Environnement (FNE) and Bureau Veritas have now publishing the test protocol, a reliable framework based on a robust scientific approach.
The protocol for measuring real-world fuel consumption defines the means and methods that it states should be systematically applied to calculate the average real-life fuel consumption of the average customer. The protocol breaks down into the following three steps:
Selecting and checking the vehicle Driving the vehicle and performing the measurement Processing the measurement results
The measurements should be taken when the car is being driven by a non-professional driver on public roads open to traffic and under real-life driving conditions, with normal use of air-conditioning systems, passenger and luggage loads and road gradients.
By the end of 2016, real-world fuel consumption figures for 50 models tested during the year will be published on the Peugeot, Citroën and DS website. At the same time, a simulator to enable customers to predict their vehicles’ fuel consumption based on driving style and conditions will also be released online.
In 2017, the PSA Group, Transport & Environment, France Nature Environnement and Bureau Veritas will extend the same procedure to the measurement of real-world nitrous oxide emissions.
“This robust protocol is the result of unprecedented and successful cooperation between a manufacturer, NGOs and a certification organisation,” said Gilles Le Borgne, executive vice president, quality and engineering, for the PSA Group. “It is now available for all to see and to use as inspiration to encourage greater customer transparency.”
“The real-world test developed with PSA Group provides full transparency towards customers and more representative information to drivers than the new laboratory test, helping them choose the most fuel-efficient cars,” added Greg Archer, clean vehicles director at Transport & Environment. “This scientific approach is robust, reproducible and reliable in measuring real carbon emissions. Thus, we urge the European Commission and all carmakers to use this test for regulatory and advertising purposes.”