Commute Emissions Comparison — Car vs. Bike vs. Bus vs. Train

Friendly estimates for planning and awareness. Private by design — runs locally in your browser.

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

Enter a one-way distance and how often you travel. The tool calculates per-trip and annual emissions for each mode using simple, editable factors. Cars use fuel or electricity consumption (with carpool size); buses and trains use per-passenger-km factors. Cycling is 0 by default for operational energy, with an optional food energy add-on.

What’s being calculated?

  • Distance & frequency: One-way distance × trips/week × weeks/year.
  • Cars: Fuel L/100 km × kg CO₂/L (or kWh/100 km × grid kg/kWh), divided by occupants.
  • Public transport: Per-passenger-km factors that reflect typical occupancy and energy mix.
  • Bike: 0 kg/km operational by default; optional food energy factor in Advanced.

Assumptions & limitations

  • These are average factors for awareness and comparison, not precise audits.
  • Traffic, hills, weather, heating/AC, and crowding change real-world results.
  • Electricity carbon intensity varies by region and time; you can edit it.

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.

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