Alternative Fuels Data Center and 

Related Technology Integration Tools

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Technology 

Integration Program offers a large collection of helpful tools. These 

calculators, interactive maps, and databases assist transportation 

decision makers in their efforts to advance alternative fuels and 

energy-efficient vehicle technologies.

VTO’s Technology Integration Program supports a broad portfolio of 

technologies that can reduce transportation energy costs for businesses 

and consumers. People seeking information on alternative fuels and 

advanced vehicle data for fleets, cities, and regions can benefit from the 

tools featured in this guide. Find examples of how Clean Cities coalitions 

and their stakeholders have used the tools.

Find the tools in this guide 

at afdc.energy.gov/tools and 

fueleconomy.gov. You can 

use your phone’s QR code reader 

to scan these QR codes: afdc.energy.gov/tools fueleconomy.gov

VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE
Vehicle and 

Emissions Tools

Vehicle Cost Calculator:

Interested in buying a new or 

used car? By providing information 

about your driving habits, you can find the 

total cost of owning that car. You can also 

learn about total emissions and fuel use for 

each vehicle model. afdc.energy.gov/calc

Tool in action: A Clean Cities coalition used 

the calculator to demonstrate for auto show 

attendees the price differential and total 

cost of ownership of alternative fuel and 

conventional vehicles.

Vehicle Search: From a personal 

car to a fleet vehicle, find and 

compare the latest alternative 

fuel vehicles and engines, electric vehicles, 

and hybrids. afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/search

Tool in action: A Clean Cities coalition 

giving an Electric Vehicle 101 presentation 

used the search to generate a list of vehicles, 

including their driving ranges. 

AFLEET Alternative Fuel LifeCycle Calculator: This go-to tool 

for fleets calculates and compares 

the economic and environmental impacts 

of alternative versus conventional fuel 

vehicles. Users can estimate petroleum use, 

greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutant 

emissions, and total cost of ownership for 

light- and heavy-duty vehicles using detailed 

spreadsheet or online inputs. greet.es.anl.

gov/afleet

Tool in action: A fleet manager used the 

tool to understand how powering regional 

haul freight trucks with renewable 

natural gas would affect greenhouse 

gas emissions, tailpipe emissions, 

and total cost of ownership.

Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions 

Calculator: Public officials, fleet 

managers, and procurement administrators can weigh the environmental and 

economic benefits of purchasing heavy-duty 

alternative fuel vehicle technologies. 

afleet-web.es.anl.gov/hdv-emissions-calculator

Tool in action: An industry association used 

the calculator to show that alternative fuel 

school buses are a cost-effective emissions 

reduction strategy in many states.

Find a Car: Need help choosing 

a car? Search and compare by 

make, model, class, MPG, and 

more. Download the app to find vehicle 

fuel economy ratings, cost estimates, and 

emissions ratings for light-duty vehicles on 

your iPhone or Android. fueleconomy.gov/

feg/findacar.shtml

Tool in action: A Clean Cities coalition 

encouraged dealerships to use the Find 

a Car app while walking the lot with 

their customers.

Trip Calculator: FuelEconomy.gov’s 

interactive trip calculator and mapping 

tool helps you plan your route, pick your 

car, and estimate the fuel costs for your 

next road trip. fueleconomy.gov/trip

Tool in action: A company used the 

calculator to quantify the difference 

in total fuel cost among the vehicles 

in its fleet for specified routes.

IdleBox: This easy-to-use electronic 

education and outreach toolkit focuses 

on vehicle idle reduction, the low-hanging 

fruit of fuel efficiency. cleancities.energy.

gov/idlebox

Tool in action: A Clean Cities coalition 

leader tapped the IdleBox resources at his 

fingertips to help a local student launch an 

idle-free initiative at his school.
Used Car Label Tool: Rev up your used 

car sale with a fuel economy sticker. Select 

a vehicle’s year, make, model, and engine 

options, and the tool creates an MPG label 

similar to the one displayed on new cars. 

The graphic features the vehicle’s EPAestimated fuel economy, gallons needed to 

drive 100 miles, and estimated greenhouse 

gas emissions. fueleconomy.gov/feg/

UsedCarLabel.jsp 

Tool in action: A consumer checked out 

the Used Car Label to compare used cars, 

select the most fuel-efficient model, and 

save money at the pump.

Fuel and Station Tools

Alternative Fueling Station

Locator: For over 20 years, the 

Station Locator has helped fleets 

and individuals locate alternative fueling 

stations and assisted transportation decision 

makers in tracking industry development. 

Use the website or download the mobile 

app to answer all your alternative fueling 

station questions, including location, 

payments accepted, and hours of 

operation. Available for iPhone or 

Android. afdc.energy.gov/stations

Tool in action: A natural gas fuel provider 

used the Station Locator to assess the market 

potential for new stations. 

Alternative Fuel Corridor 

Station Data: Create custom maps 

of alternative fuel corridors by fuel 

type and state using these station data and 

shapefiles. afdc.energy.gov/corridors

Tool in action: A Clean Cities coalition 

leader used the corridor shapefiles 

to identify potential alternative fuel 

corridors in her state to get a federal 

corridor designation. 

EVI-Pro Lite: Navigate through 

a few simple prompts to estimate 

how much electric vehicle charging 

you might need in your city or state to 

support your plug-in electric vehicle goal. 

afdc.energy.gov/evi-pro-lite

Tool in action: A Clean Cities coalition used 

EVI-Pro Lite to help city transportation 

decision makers set goals on the number and 

location of public charging stations needed 

based on the anticipated number of plug-in 

electric vehicles.

Fuel Properties: Looking 

for the technical properties of 

each alternative fuel? Compare 

characteristics across fuels using this tool. 

afdc.energy.gov/fuels/properties

Tool in action: To help a stakeholder 

determine how tax rates are applied to 

alternative fuels, a Clean Cities coalition 

used the gasoline gallon equivalent values 

found in the Fuel Properties Comparison. 

EVolution: E-Drive Vehicle 

Education: Want to understand 

the costs and benefits of electric 

vehicles—hybrid, plug-in hybrid, rangeextended-electric, and all-electric—based 

on where you live, where you drive, 

charging availability, incentives, and 

more? The EVolution tool has the answers. 

evolution.es.anl.gov/

Tool in action: In the Chicago Auto Show’s 

Electric Room, a Clean Cities coordinator 

used the EVolution tool to let consumers 

compare conventional sedans to electric 

vehicles, learning about the energy and 

emission benefits and total cost 

of ownership.

Informational Tools

State Information Search:

Get a state-specific snapshot of 

alternative fuels and advanced 

vehicles, including laws and incentives, 

fueling station locations, fuel production 

and consumption data, and more. 

afdc.energy.gov/states
Technical Response Service provided by the U.S. 

Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office

Tool in action: An industry association 

searched the state information pages to

find bioenergy production and infrastructure 

data to assess a state’s capacity to expand 

fuel production. 

Laws and Incentives: Use 

the Federal and State Laws and 

Incentives database to identify 

local incentives and regulations related to 

alternative fuels and vehicles, air quality, 

fuel efficiency, and other transportationrelated topics. afdc.energy.gov/laws

Tool in action: A propane fuel provider 

used the Summary Table on the website to 

demonstrate how many propane incentives 

are available in their operating area. 

Publications Search:

A searchable database of 

informative publications 

on alternative fuels, vehicles, and 

infrastructure. afdc.energy.gov/publications

Tool in action: Using the search, a Clean 

Cities coalition compiled a list of electric 

vehicle charging station installation 

resources for a stakeholder.

Case Studies Search: Search 

by category or keyword, or simply 

view the most recent videos and 

stories showing how businesses, fleets, 

government agencies, and others have 

successfully implemented alternative fuels. 

afdc.energy.gov/case

Tool in action: A fleet featured in a 

MotorWeek video success story used 

the search to promote their commitment 

to reducing vehicle emissions and 

improving air quality.

Maps & Data: Access maps and charts 

showing transportation data and trends 

related to alternative fuels and vehicles. This 

page is the jumping-off point for advanced 

transportation analysis. afdc.energy.gov/data

Tool in action: A nonprofit downloaded 

the U.S. Alternative Fueling Stations by 

Fuel Type chart to assess infrastructure 

growth over time.

Clean Cities Coalition 

Network: Nearly 100 

local coalitions serve 

as the foundation of 

Clean Cities. These dynamic organizations 

work in communities across the country 

to implement alternative fuels, fuel-saving 

technologies and practices, and new mobility 

choices. Connect with your local coalition 

today. cleancities.energy.gov/coalitions/

locations

Tool in action: A fleet interested in installing 

an electric vehicle charging station used 

the Clean Cities map to identify their 

local coalition. 

For more information, visit:

afdc.energy.gov

DOE/GO-102020-5261 • September 2020

Prepared by the National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory (NREL), a National Laboratory of the U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy; NREL is operated by the 

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

REPORT

800-254-6735 • technicalresponse@icf.com

cleancities.energy.gov/technical-assistance