In automotive design - the effect of MPG on vehicle fuel consumption

Abstract

Fuel efficiency, measured in miles per gallon (MPG), and engine power, represented by horsepower, are two critical metrics that gauge a vehicle’s performance. Historically, a negative correlation has been perceived between these two variables: cars with higher horsepower were deemed to have a lower MPG. This study comprehensively explores this correlation using a dataset obtained from the UCI repository. Three regression models were applied: linear, quadratic, and cubic. Each was meticulously analyzed and evaluated using mean squared error (MSE) and residual plot to understand the data’s fit and the models’ predictive capabilities. Our research found that while the linear model provides initial insights, polynomial regression models, especially the quadratic one, can capture the relationship more succinctly, which revealed a relationship expressed as fx x x ( )= -+ 1.66 7.87 21.94 2 . The findings indicate that as horsepower increases, MPG decreases, but with diminishing intensity, suggesting an intricate balance between power and efficiency in automotive design.