Cars in Japan avg 45mpg?! HOW?

[JEDI]

CNN

"Vehicles in China average around 30 miles per gallon, a figure that is set to rise to about 35 miles per gallon by 2009, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

In Europe vehicles average about 37 miles per gallon and are set to get 50 miles a gallon by 2012.

In Japan they currently average 45 miles per gallon."

Ok, in the US we have Hummers and SUV's that lower the avg.
But i doubt those big cars lower the avg by 20mpg.

Small cars in Japan is part of the reason. But since 45mpg is the AVG, that means they have lots of cars that have HIGHER mpg.

How does cars in Japan have such high MPG?

 

[ProfJohn]

I believe ALL the cars in Japan are small.

Although 45 for an average still seems high.

 

[MotionMan]

Do they require catalytic converters and other such things that protect the environment while hurting gas milage?

MotionMan

 

[Epic Fail]

Heavier passengers equal less efficient cars.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

I think mpg is a poor estimate of the true environmental damage a vehicle can do. 100mpg mini-cars exist, but their particulate emissions are far higher. I'd rather see a comparison of mpg to particulate emissions and whether or not is uses a catalytic converter.

 

[rgwalt]

They don't tell you what type of fuel they burn. Diesel engines are, on the whole, more efficient than gasoline engines. Plus, diesel fuels have a higher energy density than gasoline. That is, per unit volume, diesel has a higher energy content. This means less diesel is used on a volume basis to go the same distance. In europe most all of the cars are diesel. I couldn't say about Japan or China though.

In the US, we pay for our fuel on a volume basis with little regard to how much energy is actually in the fuel. Ethanol dilutes our gasoline pool and lowers the energy density of the fuel, making our MPG stats go down. E85 has a horrible energy density compared to gasoline or diesel, so cars running E85 will have a lower MPG than their gasoline burning counter parts.

Efficiency isn't always about the size of the vehicle, the engine, etc. These are important factors, but the fuel used is also very important. If diesel takes off in the US, our stats will improve. I'm seriously considering a diesel car down the line myself.

R

 

[Vic]

Kei cars

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Ok, in the US we have Hummers and SUV's that lower the avg.
But i doubt those big cars lower the avg by 20mpg.

Seriously? Have you seen how many SUVs there are out there? Even some midsize cars get gas mileage in the 20s. We like our cars big and fast, so they burn a lot of fuel.

Who cares? Oil is infinite, right?

 

[hiromizu]

Keep in mind that Japan has some of the strictest emissions laws in the world and would not certify cars that do not meet such mandates.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I don't think that this statistic is fair. US is a big country and people have to drive much farther than they do in Japan. A lot of cars in Japan are not really meant to be cars for long road trips and such, so hence they can be made smaller, lighter, and more efficient. Also realize that most things in Japan are just made compact because there is just no space.

Not saying that we couldn't do a better job here...its just they have different circumstances.

 

[MetalMat]

Man this car is FUGLY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...:2003_Subaru_R2_01.jpg

You would have to pay me to drive it.

 

[dds14u]

Originally posted by: Vic
Kei cars

Interesting read although no info about mpg is given.

 

[antillean]

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
I don't think that this statistic is fair. US is a big country and people have to drive much farther than they do in Japan. A lot of cars in Japan are not really meant to be cars for long road trips and such, so hence they can be made smaller, lighter, and more efficient. Also realize that most things in Japan are just made compact because there is just no space.

Not saying that we couldn't do a better job here...its just they have different circumstances.

Well the thing is not ONLY do they get better gas mileage, but they ALSO drive shorter distances and have public transit available in the cities. They live in smaller, more efficient houses too. They also intelligently control temperatures in their office buildings, and discourage wearing suits. Meanwhile, here in the US the AC is set to 65F on hot days, and 80F on cold days, and a lot of people still wear suits to work.

 

[Shlong]

Originally posted by: antillean

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
I don't think that this statistic is fair. US is a big country and people have to drive much farther than they do in Japan. A lot of cars in Japan are not really meant to be cars for long road trips and such, so hence they can be made smaller, lighter, and more efficient. Also realize that most things in Japan are just made compact because there is just no space.

Not saying that we couldn't do a better job here...its just they have different circumstances.

Well the thing is not ONLY do they get better gas mileage, but they ALSO drive shorter distances and have public transit available in the cities. They live in smaller, more efficient houses too. They also intelligently control temperatures in their office buildings, and discourage wearing suits. Meanwhile, here in the US the AC is set to 65F on hot days, and 80F on cold days, and a lot of people still wear suits to work.

Actually when I went to Japan, I saw A LOT of Salarymen wearing suits.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: yamadakun
Heavier passengers equal less efficient cars.

:roll:

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: yamadakun
Heavier passengers equal less efficient cars.

:roll:

It's true.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Vic
Kei cars

/end thread

those Kei car must have less than 667cc displacement in order to qualify the buyer for government incentives (like, less or no tax on purchase).

 

[rbV5]

Ok, in the US we have Hummers and SUV's that lower the avg.

and Malibus Mustangs and Chargers....., lets pretend they don't get <20mpg city "maybe" a couple mpg better than a hummer even in v6 trim.

 

[Chadder007]

In America, most have a case of Lead Foot.

 

[Anubis]

because most people in the US are idiots and like to kill the planet for the sake of more HP so they can drive their massive MPG hogs to the store and back

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: Chadder007
In America, most have a case of Lead Foot.

werd

Originally posted by: Anubis
because most people in the US are idiots and like to kill the planet for the sake of more HP so they can drive their massive MPG hogs to the store and back

werd x2

If you want HP, drive a fucking freight train.

Train's HP > v12 car

 

[Queasy]

From the link:

Raise the biofuels mandate: This would require gasoline refiners to use more plant-derived fuel ? like corn-based ethanol. The Senate proposed 36 billion gallons by 2022. The House has a more modest proposal. The bill is supported by the corn and ethanol industry and by those who seek greater energy independence. It?s opposed by refiners who say ethanol is inefficient and hard to transport, livestock farmers concerned about its effect of corn prices and environmentalists. An increase in the mandate is likely, but sources say it won?t be as high as the Senate wants.

Yay! Higher fuel and food prices for all!

Eliminate oil company tax breaks and use the money to fund renewables: The measure would eliminate some $16 billion in oil company tax breaks over the next ten years, mostly by exempting oil producers from the domestic manufacturing credit. But it?s unlikely to pass. Opponents, including the White House, say it will discourage domestic energy production.

Yay! Higher fuel and product prices for all!

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
I don't think that this statistic is fair. US is a big country and people have to drive much farther than they do in Japan. A lot of cars in Japan are not really meant to be cars for long road trips and such, so hence they can be made smaller, lighter, and more efficient. Also realize that most things in Japan are just made compact because there is just no space.

Not saying that we couldn't do a better job here...its just they have different circumstances.

...except that long road trips will yield a higher MPG than city driving.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Anubis
because most people in the US are idiots and like to kill the planet for the sake of more HP so they can drive their massive MPG hogs to the store and back

All transportation fuels (car, SUV, truck, train, plane, boat, ship, etc.) cause only 14% of all greenhouse emissions. Text

I know the anti-car crowd hates to hear the truth, but the leading culprits of global warming are not cars, but agriculture, followed by residential and commercial buildings and houses (read: air conditioning and computers), followed by industrial uses.
For example, our internet discussion here, with personal computers, internet connections with the associated routers and server farms, from the comfort of cozy homes and offices, is sucking down about 1kWh per poster/lurker. And now it's lunch time. Gotta fire up the 1000W microwave to eat a can of processed food.

 

[rchiu]

Because gas cost $5.25 a gallon and that gives people much more incentive to buy and automakers to make efficient car. It's all about economy.