Japan Shifts Vehicle Fuel Economy Testing to Globally Harmonized Method

Japan will shift to a globally harmonized fuel economy testing method for cars beginning in 2018.

In a continuing policy to promote fuel-efficient automobile use, Japan would phase out its method for measuring domestic fuel economy for passenger cars and phase in an internationally harmonized one, officials of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Agency of Natural Resources and Energy and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said April 12.

Until July 2007, the Japanese government had been using what was called the ’10-15 mode’ for measuring vehicles’ fuel economy. It tests new model vehicles on a bench ...