How to Compare Unleaded Gas & Diesel Fuel Carbon Emissions

Vehicles account for 51 percent of average household carbon emissions.

Green-minded consumers may wish to compare the carbon footprint of gas and diesel vehicles before making an informed decision about which one to buy. Generally speaking, diesel engines emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions primarily because they get better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have partnered to offer a useful online search engine that allows consumers to compare the carbon footprints of many of today's most popular vehicles. This tool can be used to compare the carbon footprint of diesel and gasoline engines for many specific makes and models.

Things You'll Need

• Computer Internet access

Instructions

Compare the Carbon Footprint

1. Go to www.fueleconomy.gov.

2. Click on "Find And Compare Cars."

3. Go to "Advanced Search Options."

4. Click "Vehicle/Fuel Type" to see the full menu of fuel options.

5. Check "Regular Gas" and "Diesel."

6. Select other search criteria, such as "Model Year" and "Market Class."

7. Hit "Search" and you should see a list containing information about a number of regular gasoline and diesel engine vehicles, including a carbon footprint for each.

8. If you know of specific regular gas- and diesel-engine vehicles you want to compare, use the "Compare Side-By-Side" search option instead.

References

• FuelEconomy.gov