A new software tool that compares the costs and emissions of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) to conventional vehicles is now available for government and business fleet managers. The Hybrid Electric Vehicle Fleet Cost and Benefits Calculator Tool was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Center for a New American Dream, and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) with funding from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Clean Cities activity. It is available for free at www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/hev/cost_calc.html or www.newdream.org/hev. The cost calculator’s fleet cost estimates were developed in consultation with PHH Arval. It helps fleet purchasers assess potential savings from purchasing HEVs by taking into account purchase price, fuel costs, repair and maintenance costs, resale value, and applicable tax incentives, according to its developers. The cost calculator also estimates the environmental impact of emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and hydrocarbons. A comparison of a compact hybrid sport utility vehicle to a conventional compact sport utility vehicle shows a savings of over $1,400 and 37,000 pounds of carbon dioxide over a seven-year period. It is available for free at www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/hev/cost_calc.html or www.newdream.org/hev.
0 Comments