Skip to main content

Feds inquire about Mitsubishi fuel economy after cheating comes to light

Mitsubishi admitted earlier this week to overstating fuel economy on 620,000 cars built over the past three years. All of those cars were sold in Japan (some as Nissan models), but the scandal has attracted the attention of U.S. regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is beginning an inquiry into Mitsubishi’s fuel economy reporting, according to Reuters. The agency said it asked Mitsubishi for information on vehicles sold in the U.S., but did not specify which vehicles. NHTSA shares responsibility with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over fuel economy rules.

Recommended Videos

Mitsubishi said on Wednesday that it manipulated test data on certain models, leading to fuel efficiency ratings inflated by 5 to 10 percent. The Japanese manufacturer did this by using tire and air resistance ratios it knew would yield better results. The discrepancy was discovered by Nissan, which was supplied 468,000 of the affected cars by Mitsubishi.

So far the affected models including the Mitsubishi eK Wagon and eK Space, and the Nissan Dayz and Dayz Roox. All are tiny “kei” cars designed specifically for the Japanese market, with little if anything in common with Mitsubishi cars sold in the U.S. Not that fuel economy cheating is unheard of on this side of the Pacific: Hyundai and Kia were forced to pay a $300 million fine and spend $395 million reimbursing customers after overstating fuel economy on 13 2011-2013 models.

Japanese authorities raided a Mitsubishi research center in Okazaki Thursday. They were from the Transport Ministry, which also ordered Mitsubishi to submit a full report on its cheating within a week. All Japanese carmakers must submit fuel economy test data to the ministry by May 18 for scrutiny.

Mitsubishi shares plummeted after the announcement of the test manipulation. While U.S. authorities haven’t made any judgments so far, Mitsubishi’s weak position in the U.S. market means any bad publicity could be particularly harmful to the company’s long-term prospects.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more