& Get $10!Cost Equivalent MPG FAQ
BeFrugal proposes “Cost Equivalent Mpg” calculation and a CO2 emissions calculation that is personalized to the individual consumer’s driving habits, and properly accounts for gas and electricity costs, tailpipe CO2 emissions, and upstream CO2 emissions.
See below for answers to frequently asked questions about Cost Equivalent Mpg:
What is the EPA and NHTSA’s energy equivalency?
The EPA and NHTSA use miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe) to calculate energy equivalency. MPGe is a measure of distance traveled per unit of energy consumption based on the energy content of gasoline. The EPA and NHTSA use the default values of 116,090 Btu/gallon for gasoline and 3,412 Btu/kWh for electricity to calculate MPGe.
Why does the EPA and NHTSA’s proposal not account for upstream CO2 emissions?
The EPA and NHTSA’s proposals cannot account for upstream CO2 emissions without determining the amount of electric energy used and the source of this energy, which will differ for individual drivers.
What is BeFrugal’s cost equivalent MPG, and how is it calculated?
Cost equivalent MPG is a market based calculation that converts electrical energy usage of EVs and PHEVs to its equivalent in gasoline based on cost. For example, if gas prices are $2.50/gallon, then an electric car that could go 100 miles on $2.50 worth of electricity would have a Cost Equivalent MPG of 100.
How does BeFrugal calculate upstream CO2 emissions?
The calculation of upstream CO2 emissions for EVs and PHEVs is dependent on the electric energy used by each vehicle and the source – coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, etc – of the electric energy. Since each geographic region varies in its source(s) of electric energy, drivers with identical driving habits in different states could have vastly different CO2 emissions.
Why does BeFrugal take driving habits into account?
Driving habits need to be taken into account to determine the estimated environmental and financial costs of driving each vehicle.
Why BeFrugal’s web-based calculator is better?
BeFrugal’s Electric Car Calculator provides drivers the ability to realistically compare the environmental and financial costs of electric, diesel , hybrid, and gas powered vehicles, personalized to the driver’s profile and driving habits.