The total cost of vehicle ownership (acquisition price, fuel and maintenance) along with range and access to charging stations are key drivers for the adoption of EVs. If you are wondering how different automobiles rank against climate targets in 2021, depending on their cost, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has an online tool that allows interactive comparisons and very friendly data visualization. EV.THRIVE gave it a try. Over 300 car models are represented in the graph below and color codes differentiate between powertrain technologies. Highlighted on the plot are a Toyota Prius Prime, a Nissan Leaf (40 kK-hr battery pack) and a Ford Explorer AWD 3.0LX. The tool, mentioned in The New York Times earlier this month, is the result of research work in The Trancik Group at MIT, published in a research paper referenced below. Try it to see where various vehicles rank and visit us again for more research news.
Reference: “Personal Vehicles Evaluated against Climate Change Mitigation Targets”, Marco Miotti, Geoffrey J. Supran, Ella J. Kim, and Jessika E. Trancik, Environmental Science & Technology 2016 50 (20), 10795-10804, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b00177