Short hops, big spikes
Cold engines and catalysts mean the first kilometre of a car trip can emit up to half the pollution of the entire journey. Bundling errands into one warm run is an instant win.
Warm-up effect
Commute Emissions Comparison — Car vs. Bike vs. Bus vs. Train
Trip Inputs
Modes to Compare
🚗 Car — Petrol
Per-passenger = (L/100 km × kg/L ÷ 100) ÷ occupants.
🚙 Car — Diesel
Diesel CO₂ per litre is typically higher than petrol.
🚗🔋 Car — Hybrid (Petrol)
Rough blended petrol usage; adjust to your vehicle.
🔌 Car — Battery EV
Per-passenger = (kWh/100 × kg/kWh ÷ 100) ÷ occupants. Grid varies by region.
🚌 Bus
Includes typical occupancy. Adjust for your city/route.
🚆 Train — Electric
Driven by electricity mix and occupancy.
🚆 Train — Diesel
Regional diesel services; adjust as needed.
🚴 Bike
By default shows 0 for fuel/electricity; optional food energy adds 0.02 kg/km.
Advanced options (optional)
Use these to match a report or methodology. All numbers are editable.
Friendly estimate only. Real-world values vary with driving style, congestion, vehicle type, occupancy, transit load, and electricity mix.
Results
How This Commute Comparison Works
This commute emissions comparison calculator helps you estimate the carbon footprint of different ways to get to work or school. It converts your daily travel into per-trip and annual CO₂ totals, so you can compare driving, carpooling, public transit, cycling, and electric vehicles side by side. The goal is not to judge any choice, but to make the trade-offs clear so you can plan a lower-emission commute if that is important to you.
The calculation is based on a few easy concepts. First, the tool turns your one-way distance and travel frequency into total yearly distance. Then it applies emissions factors for each mode. For a gasoline car, it uses fuel consumption and a standard kg CO₂ per liter; for an EV, it uses electricity consumption and your local grid emissions factor. For buses and trains, it uses typical per-passenger-kilometer values that already account for average occupancy. For cycling and walking, operational emissions are set to zero by default, with an optional food-energy adjustment if you want a fuller picture.
To use the calculator, follow these steps:
- Enter your one-way commute distance and how many trips you make per week.
- Select the number of weeks you commute each year, or leave the default.
- Adjust vehicle efficiency, fuel type, or electricity usage for your car or EV.
- Add carpool occupancy if you share rides.
- Click Calculate to compare per-trip and annual emissions for each mode.
Real-world examples show why this is useful. A driver who carpools with one other person can nearly halve per-person emissions. An electric car in a region with clean electricity can beat even efficient gas vehicles, while in a coal-heavy grid the results can be closer. A commuter comparing bus versus rail can see how occupancy changes the numbers. Even switching one day per week to cycling can make a meaningful dent over a year.
Use this tool to test scenarios like moving closer to work, combining transit with biking, or switching from a gasoline car to a hybrid or EV. The inputs are editable so you can match local fuel prices, grid intensity, or transit factors when you have better data. It is an awareness-level estimate, but it gives a practical snapshot of how commute choices shape your carbon footprint.
5 Fun Facts about Commute Emissions
Carpool math is wild
A typical 180 g/km petrol car drops to 90 g/km per passenger with two people, and to 45 g/km with four—suddenly cleaner than many city buses.
Divide by seats
Bus = 3 cars of road space
An articulated bus occupies about the space of three sedans yet carries 80+ riders. When it’s half full, each passenger’s footprint rivals an efficient EV.
Density magic
Trains brake for power
Modern electric rail recovers 20–30% of its traction energy via regenerative braking, feeding power back to the grid or nearby trains at each stop.
Energy recycling
E-bikes sip electricity
Charging an e-bike for a 30 km round trip uses roughly 0.6 kWh—less than running a typical toaster for 10 minutes—yet it replaces a noisy, congested car journey.
Tiny kWh
FAQs
Do I enter round-trip distance?
Enter one-way distance. Round trips are covered by the number of trips per week.
How can I include carpooling?
Set Occupants on each car card. More occupants lowers per-passenger CO₂.
Can I match a published factor set?
Yes, everything’s editable (fuel factors, grid intensity, per-km factors). Adjust to your source.