In 2007, the weighted average combined fuel deficiency of cars and light trucks in the United States, combined, was 8.67 km/L. The average vehicle traveled 18,861 km in 2007. The amount of CO2 emitted per gallon of gasoline burned is 8.92 kg. Assume for the following calculations that the 2007 data are applicable to all registered vehicles. In 2010, there were nearly 32 million registered vehicles in California.

Question

a. Calculate the emissions of CO2 from California in 2010.
b. It is estimated that there were approximately 250 million registered vehicles in the United States in 2010. Calculate the emissions of CO2 from all automobiles in the United States in 2010.
c. By the year 2050, it is estimated that there will be perhaps 300 million automobiles in the United States. If this happens, and we assume driving conditions stay approximately the same, what would the CO2 emissions from automobiles be in 2050 in the United States?
d. In 2012, India was estimated to have about 15 million automobiles. While driving conditions and automobile types in India are much different from those in the United States, what will the emissions of CO2 be from automobiles in India if the gas mileage and driving patterns were the same as those in the United States?
e. By the year 2050, India is expected to be the largest automobile market in the world. Goldman Sachs has estimated that there will be more than 610 million automobiles in India by 2050. If this happens, and we assume driving conditions stay approximately the same, what would India’s CO2 emissions from automobiles be in 2050?
f. Create a bar graph illustrating the number of vehicles and CO2 emitted from scenarios in parts (a) through (e).

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1