In 2006 EPA updated how the city and highway fuel economy values are calculated to better reflect typical real-world driving patterns and provide more realistic fuel economy estimates. In addition, EPA redesigned the fuel economy label to make it more informative for consumers. The redesigned label more prominently featured annual fuel cost information, provided contemporary and easy-to-use graphics for comparing the fuel economy of different vehicles, used clearer text, and included a web site reference to www.fueleconomy.gov which provided additional information. EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are now initiating a new rulemaking to ensure that American consumers continue to have the most accurate, meaningful and useful information available to them when purchasing new vehicles and that the information is presented to them in clear and understandable terms. Further, the agencies must provide metrics that are relevant and useful for advanced technology vehicles such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Title from title screen (viewed Oct. 14, 2010). Contract Number: GS-23F-0364P "August 2010." Includes bibliographical references (pages 75-85). "EPA-420-R-10-906."

Executive summary -- I. Introduction and methodology -- II. Understanding how consumers choose vehicles -- III. Consumer education campaigns regarding fuel efficient vehicles -- IV. Summary of results and conclusions -- Attachment 1. Summaries of major studies -- Bibliography.