Driving Towards Sustainability?
An Assessment of Smith College’s Vehicle Fleet
Nora Beem – EVS 300 – Spring 2005
Abstract:
The recent formation of a sustainability committee at Smith College speaks to the
growing awareness and need to make environmentally conscious decisions regarding the
College. One area in which changes could be made to reduce the College’s
Environmental footprint is transportation. Converting the 20 diesel vehicles to a B20
biodiesel is one way to reduce both emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. Using a
B20 blend eliminates the need to retrofit the current engines. Another way in which the
College could reduce fuel usage and the consequent emissions would be to replace
several of the 7-passenger vans and sedans with hybrid vehicles. The economics
associated with converting to biodiesel are negligible considering the benefits the College
would gain in emissions reductions as well as how the decision would reflect on the
sustainability of the campus. Projections for converting several of the gasoline vehicles
to hybrids show that in several instances the hybrids cost less overall as well as use less
fuel. These findings support the notion that the College can make choices that are both
environmentally and economically beneficial. Reducing the emissions caused by Smith
transportation would not only reduce our footprint, but also reinforce the College’s claim
of seeking more sustainable options on campus.
Introduction:
Cars have become the trademark of American society. They are a status symbol,
a cultural icon. Unfortunately, this love affair has become one of the leading contributors
to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In 1995, it was estimated that there were
roughly 777 million vehicles (cars, trucks, and motorbikes) in the world (McNeill 2000).
Another source estimates that approximately 44 million motor vehicles are sold each year
(Gabel). With one vehicle for roughly every eight people, it is not surprising that global
warming is progressing at an increasingly rapid rate. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the average car expels approximately 11,500 pounds of carbon
dioxide annually, while trucks produce over 16,000 pounds (“Consumer”).
The United States produces more greenhouse gases per capita than any other
country in the world. It is estimated that 6.6 tons of greenhouse gases are emitted
annually for each US citizen (“Global”). While certainly not the most powerful
greenhouse gas in terms of ability to trap heat, carbon dioxide is by far the largest product
of the combustion of fossil fuels. In average vehicle emissions, the carbon dioxide
produced is twenty times greater than the carbon monoxide produced, 150 times greater
than the hydrocarbons, and 300 times greater than the nitrogen oxides emitted. Carbon
dioxide illustrates a positive correlation with fuel consumption; every one percent
increase in fuel consumption results in a one percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions.
The EPA credits this greenhouse gas as transportation’s primary contribution to climate
change (“Consumer”). In fact, every gallon of gasoline burned produces over 24 pounds of
carbon dioxide as a waste product and diesel fuel generates nearly 28 pounds per gallon
(“Emissions”).
The state of Massachusetts alone produced 98.4 million metric tons of carbon
dioxide emissions in 2002, with transportation contributing to more than 30 percent of
this greenhouse gas. The University of Massachusetts, Amherst campus, based here in
Pioneer Valley, was the second highest contributor of carbon dioxide overall
(transportation and stationary), producing almost 10 percent of the state’s total emissions
– the equivalent of approximately 20,500 cars (Massachusetts).
The overwhelming generation of waste products from the combustion of fossil
fuels has lead to a search for alternative fuel sources in an attempt to reduce emissions.
One of the primary focuses of this search is biodiesel. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel
created from renewable resources such as fat or vegetable oil. The majority of biodiesel
is generated from soybeans because of the industry’s ability to produce them in excess,
but it can also be made from recycled cooking grease (“Alternative”). The fat or oil
undergoes a process known as ‘transesterfication,’ whereby it is combined with alcohol
and a catalyst to remove the glycerin. The fat/oil separated from the glycerin is then
considered biodiesel or methyl ester. The glycerin byproduct is often sold for use in
soaps or other products, making the process void of waste (“Biodiesel”).
Biodiesel can be mixed in any ratio with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel
blend. However, 41 percent of all biodiesel is a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) and
another 40 percent is pure biodiesel, or B100 (“Comprehensive”). The attraction of B20 is
that it can be used in a regular diesel engine without the need for any modifications or
retrofitting. Pure biodiesel, on the other hand, acts as a solvent, and can release deposits
of previous petroleum diesel, causing the fuel filter to clog. This complication often
requires the commitment to biodiesel from the beginning of the vehicle’s life (“Clean”).
There is a strong correlation between biodiesel and fossil fuel emissions. As the
percentage of biodiesel increases, there is a steady decrease in the amount of carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter produced (“Comprehensive”; fig 1). While
it is true that the amount of nitrogen oxides increases slightly with the percentage of
biodiesel (fig. 1), this is due to the higher density and lower volatility of biodiesel in
comparison with petroleum diesel. It is thought that these differences advance the fuel’s
injection and subsequent combustion, causing higher nitrogen oxide emissions
(“Evaluation”).
The benefits of biodiesel are clear – not only does its use lessen the production of
greenhouse gases, but the renewable fuel reduces our dependence on nonrenewable fossil
fuels. The absence of this fuel being used on a commercial scale leads one to believe that
there might be a drawback, and there is – an economic one. It takes approximately 7.3
pounds of soybean oil to produce one gallon of pure biodiesel. With soybean oil costing
about 20 cents per pound, that comes out to $1.50 per gallon of soy B100, and that’s
before taking into account additional costs, such as transportation. Biodiesel generated
from cooking grease is usually less expensive to create, and can cost as little as $1.00 per
gallon (“Alternative”). Even biodiesel blends, such as B20, tend to cost 30-40 cents more
than straight petroleum diesel. However, the future appears promising for biodiesel. The
federal government has begun to offer tax incentives for the purchasing and producing of
alternative fuels, lessening the divide between environmental and economic choices
(“Alternative”).
Another area in which federal and state governments are offering tax incentives is
the purchasing of alternative fuel vehicles, including hybrid electric vehicles. Hybrid
vehicles are outfitted with both an internal combustion engine (ICE) like a traditional gas
powered car and an electric motor. The electric motor is fueled by a battery, which
reduces the vehicle’s dependence on the ICE and subsequently on fossil fuels. Hybrids
also have the technology to harness and store energy generated from braking, converting
it to electricity and increasing not only the vehicle’s power, but also its efficiency (“Hybrid
Electric”).
This energy is wasted in conventional vehicles.
The innovation of powering a vehicle using both fossil fuels and electricity is one
of relatively recent conception. The first hybrid, the two-seater Honda Insight, made its
debut in the United States only 5 years ago. Since its introduction a number of car
companies have come out with hybrid models, usually in the form of a coupe or a sedan.
Ford changed all that this year when they released the world’s first hybrid SUV, the
Escape HEV. The SUV’s instant success has led other automobile manufacturers to
speed up production of their models (“Hybrid Electric”).
In comparison with the conventional Ford Escape’s 24.5 miles per gallon, the
hybrid option averages 33.5 mpg with just as much cargo space (“Escape”). The Honda
Civic hybrid and the Toyota Prius are two of the most popular hybrid cars, averaging
48.5 mpg and 55.5 mpg respectively. Both cars cost around $20,000 and save an average
of $2,000 annually in the cost of fuel (“Hybrid Cars”). The future of hybrid vehicles
appears promising. Adding to the current 4 cars and 1 SUV available, the next 2 years
promise the introduction of 3 more cars, including a luxury Lexus, and 10 SUVs, trucks,
and minivans (“Hybrid Cars”). Whether the general public is becoming more
environmentally aware or just hopping on the bandwagon of the latest trend, we have yet
to know. Either reality brings with it a decrease in our usage of fossil fuels, meaning
fewer emissions, intentional or not.
The growing prevalence and popularity of alternative fuels and more energy
efficient vehicles is evidence of our increasing understanding that the earth and
atmosphere cannot sustain our current level of automobile use. While this is an issue of
global scale, to even begin to deal with it, we must approach it at the local level.
There is no question as to the benefits of reducing the College’s consumption of
fossil fuels and, consequently, its footprint. The focus of my project is to investigate
more environmentally sustainable options for meeting Smith’s transportation needs as
well as to assess the economic feasibility of these recommendations. My focus is on
converting our diesel usage to B20 and the effects of replacing several of the College’s
current vehicles with hybrids.
Methodology:
To explore the issue of transportation at Smith, I met with Rich Korzeniowski of
physical plant, who was able to provide me with the fuel logs for Smith vehicles for the
past ten years as well as an inventory of all the vehicles in the College’s fleet, including
year, fuel type, and whether they were owned or leased. Because the fuel usage was not
categorized for particular vehicles or departments, I met directly with the departments
whose vehicles I was interested in and gathered information on usage and mileage.
Hybrids:
From the fleet log I chose to focus on the College’s 3 sedans, 15 7-passenger vans,
and 1 SUV (table 1). Because of the limited range of hybrids currently available, these
were the only vehicles in which conversion appeared feasible. These vehicles belong to:
•
Service Organizations of Smith (SOS) - 3 vans, 2 sedans;
•
Student Government Association (SGA) - 9 vans
•
The faculty/administration vehicles (VIP) - 3 vans
•
Public Safety (PS) - 1 sedan, 1 SUV.
Data gathered from these organizations were all in different forms, as the college
has no uniform method for recording usage. By knowing the age of the vehicles, I was
able to use total mileage readout from each vehicle’s odometer to estimate the average
miles driven per month. This standardization was used as the basis for all subsequent
calculations.
Once the average miles per month were calculated, I divided the value by the
average miles per gallon (table 2), yielding the average gallons per month consumed by
each vehicle (Appendix; tables 1-3). By multiplying this number by the number of that type
of vehicle in the department, I was able to extrapolate the average departmental gallons
per month (Appendix; tables 1-3). These values were used in comparison with the vehicles
that were proposed to replace them to determine the monthly saving in gallons of
gasoline per department. Here is an example showing the fuel reductions that might be
achieved if the SGA vehicles were replaced with Escape HEVs:
SGA – Dodge Grand Caravan
- 1005.44 mi/mo ÷ 21.5 mi/gal = 46.76 gal/mo
- 46.76 gal/mo/vehicle * 9 vehicles = 420.88 gal/mo for the entire SGA fleet
Using the same average miles per month, but using the mpg for the Escape show:
SGA – Ford Escape HEV
- 1005.44 mi/mo ÷ 33.5 mi/gal = 30.01 gal/mo
- 30.01 gal/mo/vehicle * 9 vehicles = 270.12 gal/mo for the entire SGA fleet
- The difference between these 2 values is 150.76 gal/mo savings for SGA
Calculations were also carried out to determine the overall difference in price for
each current vehicle and their proposed replacement taking into account the initial
purchase price, life of vehicle, and mileage. The price of gasoline was estimated at $2.21
per gallon (“gasoline”). Calculations are as follows:
SGA – Dodge Grand Caravan
- $22,498 initial cost, 46.76 gal/month, 3 year (36 mo) lease,
- 46.76 gal/mo * $2.21/gal * 36 mo + $22,498 = $26,218.23 total cost
SGA – Dodge Grand Caravan replaced with Prius
- Prius initial cost - $21,837, 18.12 gal/mo
- 18.12gal/mo * $2.21/gal * 36 mo + $21,837 = $23,278.63 total cost
- $26,218.23 - $23,278.63 = $2,939.60 savings over lease of the vehicle
In meeting with the aforementioned organizations, I found several of my initial
research interests would not be possible because of a lack of record keeping. One of the
key areas I intended to assess was the efficiency of vehicle size – how often the capacity
of the vehicles were being utilized, or whether the College could fulfill the needs of these
departments with smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles. This information is particularly
pertinent when assessing the vehicles of SOS, SGA, and VIP, as they are composed
primarily of 7-passenger vans and the proposed replacement vehicles both only seat 5.
Biodiesel:
In collecting data for the conversion from petroleum diesel to B20, I used the data
from the College’s annual fuel log (fig 2) as well as the average pounds of carbon dioxide
produced per gallon of fuel (table 3). I did not use any data specific to Smith’s 20 diesel
vehicles, as there is no easy way to compare or determine mileage for some of the
vehicles, such as refrigeration trucks and hedge trimmers. By using the annual volume of
diesel burned in Smith vehicles I was able to make a legitimate comparison between the
differences in carbon dioxide production (fig 3).
Results:
Smith College covers 125 acres and consists of 2,500 undergraduates and nearly
300 professors (“Just”). To accommodate the needs of these individuals, the College
employs a fleet of one hundred vehicles. Seventy-one of these vehicles are owned while
the rest are leased in 3-year agreements. In terms of fuel usage, 20 are diesel powered
(primarily grounds crew vehicles), 68 use gasoline, and 5 are electric (golf carts). The
College also has 7 trailers that do not require fuel (table 4). The fueling of these vehicles
required nearly 18,500 gallons of gasoline and 7,800 gallons of diesel in 2004 alone (fig
2).
Using the average pounds of carbon dioxide emitted per gallon of fuel burned (table 3)
and the College’s annual usage of fuel (fig 2), not only was I was able to determine the
volume of carbon dioxide Smith produces annually, but also what the production would
have been using alternative fuels (fig 3).
Analysis of the economic implications of proposed changes to the College’s
current transportation system involves using the average gas and diesel prices for New
England. These are $2.21 and $2.43 per gallon respectively (“Gasoline”).
Hybrids:
To analyze potential savings through the use of hybrids, I created 3 different
scenarios and compared the results of each. The first scenario was to convert all of the
vans and the SUV to Escape HEVs and convert the 3 sedans to Priuses. The overall gain
of this scenario is an annual savings of 3,382.33 gallons of gasoline, which equates to
almost $7,500 and over 81,500 less pounds of carbon dioxide produced (table 5, appendix
table 1).
The second scenario makes the assumption that the vans are not being filled to
capacity, and that more often they are probably only utilized by 3-4 people per use. This
scenario compares the difference in fuel usage and emissions if all 15 of the vans and the
3 sedans were replaced with Priuses and the SUV was replaced with an Escape. The
yearly savings of this model is 5,363 gallons of gas, which come out to nearly $12,000,
and a reduction of almost 130,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
Scenario three represents a compromise between the first and second scenarios.
Instead of the ‘all or nothing’ tactic employed in the previous two scenarios, this model
looks at the fuel and emissions savings for the following allocation: SGA has 4 Escapes
and 5 Priuses, SOS has 2 Escapes and 3 Priuses, VIP has 2 Escapes and 1 Prius, and
public safety has 1 Escape and 1 Prius. The calculated savings, given the current mileage
per department, is 4,313 gallons of gas, or over $9,500 yearly, and an annual reduction in
carbon dioxide of approximately 104,000 pounds.
Scenarios 1-3 only entertain the idea of converting all of the 19 vehicles to
hybrids without assessing the total economics. The purchasing price of the vehicle also
has to be taken into consideration, not just the savings in gasoline. A more complete
assessment involving the vehicle’s purchase price (table 2), average life, and mileage
determined a total savings of $2,632.50 to $3,229.88 for each van that was replaced with
a Prius (table 6). The total carbon dioxide savings is approximately 24,000 pounds over
the lifetime of each van. Calculations also show that converting public safety’s current
vehicles to an Escape and a Prius would save over $3,000 for each vehicle over their 3
year leases. Because there is such a difference in initial purchase price between the vans
and the Escapes (~$5,000), even a savings of $3,000 in gasoline over the life of the
vehicle does not make the replacement economically neutral.
Biodiesel:
In comparing petroleum diesel with a gradient of biodiesel blends, there is an
obvious trend in the reduction of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter
as the percentage of biodiesel increases (fig 1). For B20, there is a 10-11% reduction in
particulate matter and carbon monoxide in comparison with diesel, and over 20%
reduction in hydrocarbons. For B100, or pure biodiesel, there is a 47-48% decrease in
carbon monoxide and particulate matter and a 67% reduction in hydrocarbons. The only
emission that increases with the biodiesel concentration is nitrogen oxides, increasing 2%
for B20 and 10% for B100.
The increase in the percent biodiesel also results in a reduction of the volume of
carbon dioxide produced. While petroleum diesel produces almost 28 pounds of carbon
dioxide for every gallon burned, B20 produces less than 24 pounds and B100 just over 7
pounds (“Emissions”; table 3). The difference between diesel and B20 may not sound
significant, but given the volume of diesel consumed by vehicles at Smith in 2004, it
translates to almost 36,000 pounds less carbon dioxide (fig 4). Pure biodiesel last year
would have saved almost 160,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Tables and Figures:
Table 1. Proposed vehicles involved in recommendations compared
with total vehicles
Total Diesel
Convert to B20
% of Total Diesel
20 Total Gas
20 Convert to Hybrid
100 % of Total Gas
68
19
28
Table 2. MPG and current price of Smith vehicles and proposed replacements (“Green”)
Vehicle
2002 Dodge Grand Caravan
1996 Dodge Neon
2004 Toyota Sienna
2004 Ford Crown Victoria
2002 Ford Explorer
2005 Ford Escape HEV
2005 Toyota Prius
Average
Miles/Gallon
21.5
32
23
21
18.5
33.5
55.5
Price
(New – 2005)
$22,948
$13,959
$22,513
$24,268
$27,853
$27,445
$21,837
Table 3. Pounds of CO2/gallon produced
by fuel type (“Emissions”)
Fuel
Type
Diesel
B20
B100
Gasoline
Pounds
CO2/Gallon
27.824
23.22
7.319
24.116
Table 4. Summary of Smith College Vehicles (Smith Fleet Log)
Fuel Type
Diesel
Gasoline
Electric
None (Trailer)
Total
Owned
Leased
19
40
5
7
71
1
28
0
0
29
Table 5. Yearly savings in fuel, dollars, and carbon dioxide for the 3 scenarios1 of hybrid replacement
Savings in gal/year Savings in $/year Savings in lbs CO2/year
3,382.33
7,474.95
81,568.27
5,363.08
11,852.41
129,336.04
4,313.47
9,532.77
104,023.64
Scenario #1
Scenario #2
Scenario #3
1
Scenario #1 – All vans and SUV converted to Escapes; all sedans to Priuses
Scenario #2 – All vans and sedans converted to Priuses; SUV to Escape
Scenario #3 – Convert 8 vans and SUV to Escapes; 7 vans and sedans to Priuses
Table 6. Total savings per vehicle in dollars and pounds CO2 over the lifetime of the vehicle
SGA
SOS
VIP
P.S.
(3yr L1)
(8yr O2)
(3yr L)
(3yr L)
Replacement
Van to Prius
Van to
Escape
Sedan to
Prius
SUV to
Escape
1
Savings ($)
Savings
(lbs CO2)
Savings
($)
Savings
(lbs CO2)
Savings
($)
Savings
(lbs CO2)
$2,939.60
24,864.56
$2,632.50
24,586.74
$3,229.88
27,868.45
n/a
n/a
($3,614.373)
14,541.95
($4,089.34)
14,376.99
($3,565.16)
14,915.96
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
($6,369.54)
16,460.62
n/a
n/a
$3,667.36
13,491.56
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
$3,014.39
48,441.45
L = leased
O = owned
3
( ) = negative savings/ loss
2
Savings
($)
Savings
(lbs CO2)
Figure 1. Comparison of percent change in emissions between petroleum diesel and varying
percentages of biodiesel blends. NOx = nitrogen oxides; PM = particulate matter; CO = carbon
monoxide; HC = hydrocarbons (“Comprehensive”)
35,000
Gallons of Fuel
30,000
25,000
20,000
Gas
15,000
Diesel
10,000
5,000
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Year
Figure 2. Yearly fuel usage (gal) for Smith College vehicles
800,000
700,000
Pounds of CO2
600,000
Gas
500,000
Diesel
400,000
B20
300,000
B100
200,000
100,000
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Year
Figure 3. Pounds of CO2 produced annually via Smith College vehicles and theoretical
biodiesel usage
300,000
Pounds of CO2
250,000
200,000
Diesel
B20
150,000
B100
100,000
50,000
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Year
Figure 4. Pounds of CO2 produced annually via Smith College vehicles - diesel and
theoretical biodiesel usage.
Discussion:
The proposed changes indicate not only environmental benefits, but economic
ones as well. Converting any of the vans to Priuses in the departments explored would
not only decrease the amount of fuel purchased annually and accordingly carbon dioxide
emissions, it would also save approximately $3,000 over the life of each vehicle. While
the significant difference in purchase price between the vans and the Escape hybrid don’t
justify the conversion economically, this difference could narrow in the future if gas
prices continue to rise and the purchase price of hybrids decreases. Also, in exploring the
total cost of the vehicles (table 6) one can see that the savings incurred by replacing vans
with Priuses is comparable to the cost of replacing vans with Escapes. This implies that a
scenario similar to scenario three would cost the College the same amount they are
paying now for the vans, but with a reduction of over 100,000 pounds of carbon dioxide
annually. In other words, same economics, smaller environmental footprint.
The impact of converting the College’s diesel usage to biodiesel is less cut and
dry, as the numbers are not as nicely laid out as they are for the hybrid vehicles. Smith
purchased nearly 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel last year alone (fig 2). While I was not able
to get the exact purchasing price for the College’s diesel, UMass Amherst has been
employing the use of B20 in 30 of its diesel vehicles since 2002. The University pays an
average of $1.15 per gallon, about 15 cents more than they pay for diesel (Gorlick 2002).
Assuming Smith pays similarly for their diesel, a simple calculation reveals it would cost
approximately $1,200 more annually to convert all diesel to B20. This additional cost
equates to less that 50 cents per student, a cost I believe most students would be willing
to pay, especially were they made aware of the 35,000 pound reduction in carbon
dioxide (fig 4), 10 percent decrease in particulate matter and carbon monoxide, and 21
percent reduction in hydrocarbons (fig 1). Given the more than 3 year success of UMass’
conversion to B20 and the availability of biodiesel in the Valley, the switch for Smith
would be seamless.
In an effort to reduce carbon emissions and raise campus awareness of
sustainability, Dartmouth College’s Environmental Analysis and Policy Formation class
took on the task of assessing their college’s fuel usage. With regards to transportation,
the class’ report similar advocated for replacing 16 of Dartmouth’s vehicles with hybrids
and using of B20 in the diesel engines (“Reducing”). Middlebury College has taken the
investigation of biodiesel one step further. Middlebury is currently part of a project
involving not only the use of biodiesel, but its production as well, using waste cooking oil
from their own campus kitchens (Jenks-Jay 2004).
I hope that in exploring ways to improve the sustainability of Smith’s
transportation, we might inspire improvements in other areas as well. As Orr states in his
book, The Nature of Design, colleges are the ideal places to stage the environmental
revolution. Colleges are populated by bright, forward-looking young people, eager to
step out of the shadow of the past and make their own marks. Colleges and university
campuses and communities, therefore, might well be expected to engage in best
transportation practices and to serve as models of environmental sustainability.
Recommendations:
•
Replace the College’s diesel usage with B20, ideally using the same supplier as
UMass Amherst.
•
Replace public safety’s cruiser with a Prius and SUV with an Escape Hybrid
•
Convert several of the SGA, SOS, and VIP vans with Priuses and possibly
Escapes
•
Begin to assess the number of riders per trip for the vehicles allotted to SGA, SOS,
and VIP to create data on vehicle efficiency
•
Standardize the information collected during vehicle usage in each department to
ensure more comparable data for future analysis
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Appendix
Table 1. Scenario #1 – Replace all vans and SUV with Escapes; sedans with Priuses
# of
Ave
Dept.
Ave
Dep.
Vehicle
Vehicles Gal/Mo
Gal/Mo
Replacement Gal/Mo
Gal/Mo
SGA Vans
9
46.76
420.88 Escape
30.01
270.12
SOS Vans
3
17.34
52.01 Escape
11.13
33.38
SOS Cars
2
14.91
29.81 Prius
8.59
17.19
VIP Vans
3
54.82
164.46 Escape
37.64
112.91
PS SUV
1
73.16
73.16 Escape
40.40
40.40
PS Car
1
25.00
25.00 Prius
9.46
9.46
Table 2. Scenario #2 - Replace all sedans and vans with Priuses; SUV with an Escape
# of
Ave
Dept.
Ave
Dep.
Vehicles
Gal/Mo
Gal/Mo
Gal/Mo
Vehicle
Replacement Gal/Mo
SGA
Vans
9
46.76
420.88 Prius
18.12
163.04
SOS Vans
3
17.34
52.01 Prius
6.72
20.15
SOS Cars
2
14.91
29.81 Prius
8.59
17.19
VIP Vans
3
54.82
164.46 Prius
22.72
68.15
PS SUV
1
73.16
73.16 Escape
40.40
40.40
PS Car
1
25.00
25.00 Prius
9.46
9.46
Savings/mo
(gal)
150.76
18.63
12.62
51.55
32.76
15.54
Savings/mo
(gal)
257.84
31.86
12.62
96.31
32.76
15.54
Table 3. Scenario #3 – Replace sedans and 7 of the vans with Priuses; 8 vans and SUV with Escapes
# of
Ave
total
Ave
Total
savings
Vehicle
Vehicles
Gal/Mo
Gal/Mo
Replacement Gal/Mo
gal/mo
(gal/mo)
SGA Vans
4
46.76
187.06 Escape
30.31
121.24
65.82
SGA Vans
5
46.76
233.82 Prius
18.12
90.60
143.22
SOS Vans
2
17.34
34.67 Escape
11.13
22.26
12.41
SOS Vans
1
17.34
17.34 Prius
6.72
6.72
10.62
SOS Cars
2
14.91
29.81 Prius
8.59
17.19
12.63
VIP Vans
2
54.82
109.64 Escape
37.64
75.28
34.36
VIP Vans
1
54.82
54.82 Prius
22.72
22.72
32.10
PS SUV
1
73.16
73.16 Escape
40.40
40.40
32.76
PS Car
1
25.00
25.00 Prius
9.46
9.46
15.54