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CarEconomicsActivity Final

The document outlines a Car Economics Activity for students to analyze fuel efficiency of vehicles by visiting a dealership or researching online. Students are instructed to gather data on the least and most fuel-efficient vehicles, calculate annual fuel costs and CO2 emissions, and assess the financial implications over ten years. Additionally, it includes questions to evaluate household vehicles and factors influencing vehicle choice.

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nathaniel.leipzig
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7 views4 pages

CarEconomicsActivity Final

The document outlines a Car Economics Activity for students to analyze fuel efficiency of vehicles by visiting a dealership or researching online. Students are instructed to gather data on the least and most fuel-efficient vehicles, calculate annual fuel costs and CO2 emissions, and assess the financial implications over ten years. Additionally, it includes questions to evaluate household vehicles and factors influencing vehicle choice.

Uploaded by

nathaniel.leipzig
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name:

Class:

Date:

Car Economics Activity


Student Worksheet

Instructions

1. Go to a car dealership and find the least and the most fuel efficient vehicles
available.

o If you cannot get to a dealership, look through the classified ads in the paper
or online and pick out two vehicles of different make & model for sale. Then
go to www.fueleconomy.gov and figure out the mileage for those vehicles and
continue with Step 2.

2. Fill in the information about the vehicles in Rows 1-3 in Table 1.

3. Pick up a business card as proof you went (or bring clips of your newspaper or online
ads).

4. Complete the calculations in Rows 4-5


to estimate the how much fuel each
vehicle would use each year, and the
related CO2 emissions. Assume the
vehicles would travel 15,000 miles per
year, in combined driving conditions.

5. In Row 6, enter the current price for a


gallon of unleaded gas.

6. Determine how much it would cost to


fuel each vehicle for one year.

7. Assume the vehicle would be owned for ten years and driven in the same conditions
for 15,000 miles each year. Calculate the 10-year cost of the vehicle (fuel costs for
ten years x the original purchase price).
Car Economics Activity, continued…

TABLE 1: MOST & LEAST FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES


Least Most
fuel efficient vehicle fuel efficient vehicle

1. Year, make and model

2. Purchase price

3. Miles per gallon: city

highway

combined

Gallons used per year


4. (based on 15,000 miles per year,
combined driving)

Pounds of CO2 produced per year


5. (One gallon of gas burned produces
20 pounds of CO2.)

6. Price of unleaded gas (per gallon) $_______________________/GALLON

Amount spent on gas for


7. one year (in $)
(price x gallons/year based on 15,000
miles per year)

8. 10-year cost of the vehicle


Car Economics Activity, continued…

Questions:

1. How many pounds of CO2 would you save over ten years by buying the more efficient
vehicle?

2. How many years would it take for a person to “break even” and start saving by buying
the more efficient vehicle over the least efficient vehicle? (Hint: you might create for
yourself a year-by-year chart so you can see the pattern.)

3. In Table 2 below, list the types of cars your family owns. Look up their fuel economy
at www.fueleconomy.gov and then calculate the annual CO2 emissions for each
vehicle.

TABLE 2: HOUSEHOLD VEHICLE FUEL ECONOMY & CO2 EMISSIONS


Annual CO2 emissions
Car Make and Model City mpg
(based on 15,000 miles / year)

4. The average U.S. passenger vehicle got 19.5 miles per gallon1. How many of your
family’s vehicles are better than average?

5. Having compared several vehicles through this activity, what are the main factors that
would influence your choice of vehicle?

1
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics. National Transportation Statistics
http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/html/table_04_23.html Values reflect the average for cars
and light trucks combined for 2005.
Fuel Economy Label

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/label.htm

1. New Methods: The label shows the estimated city MPG at the top left, and highway MPG at the top right.
The estimates on 2008 and later models are determined using new, more realistic methods. During the
transition year, comparison shoppers should compare models that are built in the same model year, so
compare 2007 models to 2007 models, etc.

2. Estimated Annual Fuel Costs: The center of the label provides estimated annual fuel costs based on a
given number of miles and fuel price, also listed on the label. Use this information to estimate fuel costs for
this vehicle, and to compare fuel costs across different models.

3. Expected City Range: Estimated city MPG range appears at the top left, under the main city MPG
estimated number. Most drivers can expect to achieve city fuel economy within this range.

4. Expected Highway Range: Estimated highway MPG range appears at the top right, under the main
highway MPG estimated number. Most drivers can expect to achieve highway fuel economy within this range.

5. Compare to Other Vehicles: The lower center of the label gives a combined city/highway estimate for
that vehicle, and shows where that value falls on a bar scale that gives the highest and lowest fuel economy
of all other vehicles in its class (e.g. SUVs, minivans, compact cars, etc). Use this information to compare
the fuel economy of this vehicle to all others within its class.

6. Your actual mileage will vary: The label includes a reminder that there are many reasons why your
actual fuel economy may vary from the estimates. See www.fueleconomy.gov for fuel-saving tips.

7. For more information: The label provides a Web address where you can find out more information at
www.fueleconomy.gov.

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