Vehicle Cost Calculator Widget Assumptions and Methodology
The Vehicle Cost Calculator widgets are simple screening tools that compare the fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions of alternative fuel vehicles, advanced technology vehicles, and conventional gasoline vehicles. For more information, see these sections below:
Biodiesel Cost Calculator Widget Assumptions and Methodology
The following assumptions were made:
The tool assumes that the user is filling up with B20 100% of the time.
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Fuel Economies | From fueleconomy.gov | |
| Fuel Prices | Automatically updated | Quarterly Alternative Fuel Price Report; www.afdc.energy.gov/price_report.html |
| Fuel GHG Emissions | Full fuel cycle (well to wheels) greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) factors derived from GREET 2 2014. Results in CO2 equivalents (model available at https://greet.es.anl.gov) | |
| Conventional Diesel | 22.06 | lb GHG/GGE |
| B20 | 20.65 | lb GHG/GGE |
| Annual Mileage | 11,804 miles | Transportation Energy Data Book #33, Table 8.1; Total Vehicle Miles divided by Vehicles in Operation, 2012 |
| Normal Weekday Miles | 30.5 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
| Normal Weekday days per week | 5 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Weekday Weeks per year | 49 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Highway % Highway | 45% | Based on city-highway split for the Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Test Procedure. |
| Annual Other Travel Miles | 3,484 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
Electric Drive Calculator Assumptions and Data
The following assumptions were made:
- For normal weekday driving, if a plug-in hybrid is chosen the calculator assumes the user charges the PHEV once a day.
- For PHEVs during normal weekday driving, battery electricity is used until the battery is depleted and then gasoline is used; for both electricity and gasoline, the city-highway mileage split is assumed to be the same for the miles on electricity and the miles on gasoline. For mileage in the "Other Trips" (which encompass both normal weekend driving and vacation driving) category, the PHEV is assumed to use electricity for the city portion of the driving and gasoline for the highway portion
- Because of uncertainties in expected life and future costs associated with high-performance batteries, the cost to replace the battery pack has not been included in this tool. As of April 2011, the only commercially available advanced electric vehicles were the Nissan Leaf EV and the Chevrolet Volt PHEV and both have manufacturer warranties of 8 years or 100,000 miles.
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Fuel Economies | From fueleconomy.gov | |
| PHEV All-Electric Range | 38 miles | Based on Chevrolet Volt specifications |
| Fuel Prices | Automatically updated | Quarterly Alternative Fuel Price Report; www.afdc.energy.gov/price_report.html |
| Fuel GHG Emissions | Full fuel cycle (well-to-wheels) greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) factors derived from GREET model version 1.8d results; in CO2 equivalents. (model available at http://greet.es.anl.gov) | |
| Gasoline | 24 | |
| GHG Emission Factors | Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) factors from GREET version 1.8d model (converted from grams/kWh in Electric worksheet, Table 5); based on fuel used to generate the electricity. (available at http://greet.es.anl.gov) | |
| Coal | 2.32 | lb GHG/kWh |
| Oil | 2.16 | lb GHG/kWh |
| Natural Gas | 1.04 | lb GHG/kWh |
| Renewables | 0 | lb GHG/kWh |
| Nuclear | 0 | lb GHG/kWh |
| Fuel Mix | Mix of fuels was derived for the entered state by disaggregating EGRID2007 data available at EPA's Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) | |
| Annual Mileage | 11,804 miles | Transportation Energy Data Book #33, Table 8.1; Total Vehicle Miles divided by Vehicles in Operation, 2012 |
| Normal Weekday Miles | 30.5 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
| Normal Weekday days per week | 5 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Weekday Weeks per year | 49 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Highway % Highway | 45% | Based on city-highway split for the Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Test Procedure. |
| Annual Other Travel Miles | 3,484 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
| Other Travel % Highway | 70% | Assumed value |
Flex Fuel Cost Calculator Widget Assumptions and Methodology
The following assumptions were made:
The tool assumes that user is filling up with E85 100% of the time.
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Fuel Economies | From fueleconomy.gov | |
| Fuel Prices | Automatically updated | Quarterly Alternative Fuel Price Report; www.afdc.energy.gov/price_report.html |
| Fuel GHG Emissions | Full fuel cycle (well to wheels) greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) factors derived from GREET 2 2014. Results in CO2 equivalents (model available at https://greet.es.anl.gov) | |
| Gasoline | 24.0 | lb GHG/gallon |
| E85 | 18.97 | lb GHG/GGE |
| Annual Mileage | 11,804 miles | Transportation Energy Data Book #33, Table 8.1; Total Vehicle Miles divided by Vehicles in Operation, 2012 |
| Normal Weekday Miles | 30.5 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
| Normal Weekday days per week | 5 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Weekday Weeks per year | 49 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Highway % Highway | 45% | Based on city-highway split for the Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Test Procedure. |
| Annual Other Travel Miles | 3,484 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
Natural Gas Cost Calculator Widget Assumptions and Methodology
The following assumptions were made:
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Fuel Economies | From fueleconomy.gov | |
| Fuel Prices | Automatically updated | Quarterly Alternative Fuel Price Report; www.afdc.energy.gov/price_report.html |
| Fuel GHG Emissions | Full fuel cycle (well to wheels) greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) factors derived from GREET 2 2014. Results in CO2 equivalents (model available at https://greet.es.anl.gov) | |
| Gasoline | 24.0 | lb GHG/gallon |
| CNG | 19.87 | lb GHG/GGE |
| Annual Mileage | 11,804 miles | Transportation Energy Data Book #33, Table 8.1; Total Vehicle Miles divided by Vehicles in Operation, 2012 |
| Normal Weekday Miles | 30.5 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
| Normal Weekday days per week | 5 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Weekday Weeks per year | 49 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Highway % Highway | 45% | Based on city-highway split for the Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Test Procedure. |
| Annual Other Travel Miles | 3,484 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
Propane Cost Calculator Widget Assumptions and Methodology
The following assumptions were made:
| Parameter | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Fuel Economies | From fueleconomy.gov | |
| Baseline City | 14 | miles/gallon - Ford Transit T150 Van Wagon |
| Baseline Highway | 19 | miles/gallon - Ford Transit T150 Van Wagon |
| Propane Efficiency Adjustment | 1.00 | gasoline (Btu/mi)/LPG (Btu/mi) derived from GREET 2 2014. (model available at https://greet.es.anl.gov/) |
| LPG City | 14 Calculated Baseline mpg/Propane efficiency adjustment | |
| LPG Highway | 19 | Calculated Baseline mpg/Propane efficiency adjustment |
| Fuel Prices | Automatically updated | Quarterly Alternative Fuel Price Report; www.afdc.energy.gov/price_report.html |
| Fuel GHG Emissions | Full fuel cycle (well to wheels) greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) factors derived from GREET 2 2014. Results in CO2 equivalents (model available at https://greet.es.anl.gov) | |
| Gasoline | 24.0 | lb GHG/gallon |
| Propane | 21.16 | lb GHG/GGE |
| Annual Mileage | 11,804 miles | Transportation Energy Data Book #33, Table 8.1; Total Vehicle Miles divided by Vehicles in Operation, 2012 |
| Normal Weekday Miles | 30.5 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |
| Normal Weekday days per week | 5 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Weekday Weeks per year | 49 | Assumed Value |
| Normal Highway % Highway | 45% | Based on city-highway split for the Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Test Procedure. |
| Annual Other Travel Miles | 3,484 | Based on 2009 National Highway Transportation Survey: Summary of Travel Trends, Table 30. Published 2011. Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. |