EPA (test cycle)
Environmental Protection Agency
The US government test procedure behind window-sticker fuel economy and electric range figures. It differs from WLTP, so never compare the two.
In car shopping, "EPA figures" are the official US fuel economy and electric range numbers published by the Environmental Protection Agency and printed on new cars' window stickers. Manufacturers test their own vehicles and report the results to the EPA, which reviews them and confirms some through its own tests.
The tests run vehicles on a dynamometer through city and highway routines, and three further tests adjust the results for higher speeds, air conditioning use, and colder temperatures. For electric cars and plug-in hybrids, range is measured by driving until the battery can no longer supply the power the test requires.
The EPA and WLTP procedures differ, so the same car can show different range figures. Neither is wrong; they are different tests, which is why CarPairly always labels a figure with its cycle and never mixes the two in one comparison.
Official ratings for any model sold in the US can be checked at fueleconomy.gov. On CarPairly, cars in the US and Canadian markets display EPA-based figures first.
Differs by market
EPA figures apply to the US market, and CarPairly shows EPA-based figures first for the US and Canadian markets. Europe and the UK use WLTP. The same car can show different figures under the two tests.