Electric Vehicle MPGe Explained

MPGe is an abbreviation for miles per gallon equivalent. This is different from gasoline-powered cars as miles per gallon can be calculated using a simple formula, which such a figure cannot be obtained with as the battery from a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric vehicle uses electricity as a fuel source. Therefore, the Environmental Protection Agency came up with a new unit for measurement to use for the energy from electric and hybrid vehicles that can be compared with gas-powered vehicles. Every window sticker here at Junction Auto Sales has been federally mandated to show the MPGe when it's an electric or hybrid car or MPG when it's a fully gas-powered vehicle. 

MPGe was first invented in the early 2000s when the Environmental Protection Agency calculated that 33.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity are compared to a gallon of fuel in terms of its energy content. While pulling 33.7 kWh of electricity from the grid of a place dependent on coal power is not quite the same as wind power, an average makes it a more reasonable comparison for all applicable drivers. For instance, a vehicle that uses 33.7 kWh of electricity to travel 100 miles will rate 100 MPGe. This is a simple enough calculation for fully electric cars and does not contain an internal combustion engine, meaning it will be used for the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe. MPGe is a crucial way to compare how efficient an electrified car is as it is directly linked to how much it will cost to charge up the vehicle and how much power the EV needs to draw to top off the battery. Keep in mind that a good MPGe rating doesn't necessarily mean it has the best electrical range. Rather, a high MPGe rating means that your vehicle will make the best use of its electrical power. 

While the MPGe for electric vehicles and the MPG for gas-powered cars might seem similar initially, there is quite a difference. The formula used for MPGe can be calculated by keeping in mind that 33.7 kWh equals 1 gallon of gasoline. Some vehicles can get 100 MPGe, though this might be misleading if you look at how much you have to spend on fill-ups. It's actually more accurate to look at your vehicle's five-year cost to own and calculate how much your electricity bill will be. On the other hand, MPG is the gas equivalent to electric power, and this number can be much lower than electric or hybrid cars. If your vehicle gets 35 MPG, that's great! The miles per gallon formula is calculated by taking the miles driven and dividing them by the gallons used. Which is a little easier to understand than the MPGe formula. 

We hope this clears up any confusion you might have had about what MPGe is and how it's calculated. We also want to let you know that if you're in the market for a new hybrid vehicle, you can find what you're looking for here at Junction Auto Sales! We have a wide selection of Wrangler 4xe's and Grand Cherokee 4xe's for you to see and test drive. All you need to do is head down to our dealership and schedule one with our knowledgeable and friendly sales team reps, who can even accompany you on the test drive so you get the full feel for all the features. If you enjoy your test drive, head down to our finance department, where our team will work with you toward a terrific deal, and you can even trade in your current vehicle to put towards the cost of your new Wrangler or Grand Cherokee 4xe. Even if you can't join us at the dealership right now, you can still check out our complete inventory here on our website!