by Some models of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Peugeot consume 50% more fuel during everyday use than stated by the manufacturer based on laboratory tests. In some cases, the discrepancies between official figures and actual fuel consumption are so significant that they cannot be explained solely by the peculiarities of the testing methodology. In the Belgian environmental organization Transport&Environment, they analyzed the actual fuel consumption and harmful emissions of 600,000 vehicles used in the European Union countries and compared them with the manufacturers’ specifications. While in 2001 the discrepancy between declared and actual figures averaged 8%, by 2014 it had increased to 40%. Moreover, according to environmentalists’ forecasts, by 2020 the difference may grow to 50% if authorities do not tighten the certification methodology for new cars.
Meanwhile, cars such as Mercedes-Benz A-Class, C-Class, and E-Class, as well as the BMW 5 Series and Peugeot 308 with traditional gasoline and diesel engines in everyday use, already burn about 50% more fuel and emit 40-45% more CO2 than stated in their specifications. “The reasons for these discrepancies need to be explained as soon as possible,” environmentalists appeal to automakers. 
Discrepancy between manufacturer-stated and actual CO2 emission levels into the atmosphere.
“As with environmental pollution tests, the European methodology for verifying fuel efficiency has completely discredited itself. The Volkswagen scandal is just the tip of the iceberg, under which lies the possibility of manipulating data on fuel consumption that is half as high as stated,” noted T&E representative Greg Archer. For the average European motorist, distortion of data on actual fuel consumption costs about 450 euros per year.
This is how much car owners overpay for fuel. Meanwhile, automakers are trying to postpone the implementation of a new harmonized methodology for measuring vehicle efficiency, noted Transport&Environment.
