This report provides an updated analysis of fuel consumption discrepancies between real-world driving and official test values for light-duty vehicles in China. Using a large dataset of consumer-reported fuel consumption, it finds that the gap has widened significantly, from 14% for model year 2007 vehicles to 37% for model year 2021. This growing disparity suggests that official test procedures no longer accurately reflect on-road fuel use, potentially misleading consumers and weakening the effectiveness of efficiency standards. The findings underscore the urgent need for regulatory reform, including improved testing protocols, better enforcement, and more transparent fuel consumption labelling to support China’s energy and climate goals.
