CAFE III tightens the headline target from 3.996 to 3.327 litre petrol equivalent per 100 km at the reference mass of 1,229 kg between FY28 and FY32 [1]. Around that target it builds four layers of compliance relief: category multipliers for electrified vehicles, a 1 g/km allowance for each of twelve listed technologies up to 9 g/km, a carbon neutrality factor for biofuel blends, and credit trading with a BEE buyout. This paper tests whether each layer is anchored to fuel actually saved. The finding is that several are not, and that the gap widens as the target tightens.