Adrian Martino, left, and Logan Mitchell, right, present a research poster explaining the cost and emissions comparison tool. Photo courtesy of Logan Mitchell.
Any car buyer interested in electrical vehicles would want to know how much it costs to drive such a car compared with a similar gas-powered vehicle. Now there’s an app for that, and more.
While completing his graduate degree in the University of Utah’s Professional Science Master’s Program, data science student Adrian Martino developed a first-of-its-kind tool to enable Utah drivers to explore how certain EV models stack up against gasoline-powered vehicles when it comes to both the cost of driving and carbon dioxide emissions.
Developed in partnership with nonprofit Utah Clean Energy using localized information about Utah’s electrical grid and gas prices, the Cost & Emissions Comparison Tool offers an innovative and interactive way to compare vehicle models, emission scenarios, costs and payback of a new car purchase using real-world, Utah-specific data.
“What makes this tool uniquely powerful is the ability to toggle between different electricity grid scenarios,” Martino said. “Users can see how their vehicle emissions shift depending on the source of electricity powering an EV, as well as what their costs and payback will be using different sources of energy. Whether it’s today’s grid, a future cleaner grid or a coal-heavy scenario, the tool makes it easy to visualize the environmental impact of each.”
Funding came from the National Science Foundation’s Futures Engine in the Southwest program. The idea for the tool originated with Utah Clean Energy climate scientist Logan Mitchell, who couldn’t find time to pull it off and mentored Martino through the project.
“I’m hopeful that this is going to become a really useful tool that a lot of people can utilize, especially stakeholders, legislators, reporters,” said Mitchell, who is also a U research assistant professor of atmospheric sciences. “I’m hoping that as reporters are writing news articles, they can refer to this tool and actually improve their reporting and make sure it’s consistent with the best available information.”
Together, Martino and experts with Utah Clean Energy utilized public data from Rocky Mountain Power’s Integrated Resource Plan to project how emissions from electricity usage needed to fuel an EV compare with a gas car’s emissions. The result is a user-friendly platform that allows Utahns to easily plug in different scenarios to accurately compare emissions and costs side by side.
“One of the most common questions we get about going electric is, ‘What if an EV is powered by coal? Is it still better for the climate?’ This tool gives you a clear, data-driven answer,” said Kelbe Goupil, senior associate for electrification at Utah Clean Energy. “Choosing what car you drive is a big decision. This is an incredibly useful resource for anyone curious about whether or not they should make the switch to an electric vehicle.”
The new online tool allows users to:
- Compare the fuel costs and payback periods of various EV and gas vehicle models.
- Compare the emission impacts of various electric and gas vehicle models.
- Customize your power source, including rooftop solar, Rocky Mountain Power’s current electricity mix, its actual forecasted future electricity mix or even a 100% coal or 100% renewable grid.
The transportation sector is the largest source of CO2 emissions in the U.S., making electrifying vehicles a vital pathway to combat the climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels. One factor that this tool clearly illustrates is that emission benefits are compounded as the electricity grid gets cleaner. The new tool provides clarity about Utah’s electricity grid as well as future projections.