US emission factors 2026: fuels, vehicles, travel and freight
Emission factors for 22 US fuels, vehicles, business travel modes and freight modes from the GHG Emission Factors Hub, in kg CO2e per gallon, scf, mile and ton-mile. Each page shows CO2, CH4 and N2O for every edition back to 2023 and a worked example.
The Hub was published by the US EPA up to its 2025 edition. The 2026 edition comes from the Cornerstone Sustainability Data Initiative, not EPA, under a CC BY 4.0 licence. For electricity, see US eGRID factors by subregion.
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Fuels, steam and heat
Fuel burned on site (Scope 1) and purchased steam (Scope 2).
| Factor | Per | 2026 (kg CO2e) | 2025 (kg CO2e) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | scf | 0.05450 | 0.05450 | 0.0% |
| Distillate fuel oil No. 2 (diesel, heating oil) | gallon | 10.24 | 10.24 | 0.0% |
| Propane | gallon | 5.741 | 5.741 | 0.0% |
| Motor gasoline | gallon | 8.812 | 8.812 | 0.0% |
| Kerosene | gallon | 10.18 | 10.18 | 0.0% |
| Residual fuel oil No. 6 | gallon | 11.31 | 11.31 | 0.0% |
| Coal, mixed (commercial sector) | short ton | 2,031.6 | 2,031.6 | 0.0% |
| Purchased steam and heat | mmBtu | 66.40 | 66.40 | 0.0% |
Cars and light trucks
Business mileage in vehicles the company does not own (Scope 3).
| Factor | Per | 2026 (kg CO2e) | 2025 (kg CO2e) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger car | vehicle-mile | 0.2986 | 0.2986 | +0.01% |
| Light-duty truck (SUV, minivan, pickup) | vehicle-mile | 0.3967 | 0.3966 | +0.02% |
Business travel and commuting
Flights, rail and bus, per passenger-mile (Scope 3).
| Factor | Per | 2026 (kg CO2e) | 2025 (kg CO2e) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air travel, short haul (under 300 miles) | passenger-mile | 0.2180 | 0.2089 | +4.3% |
| Air travel, medium haul (300 to 2,300 miles) | passenger-mile | 0.1215 | 0.1301 | -6.6% |
| Air travel, long haul (2,300 miles or more) | passenger-mile | 0.1455 | 0.1644 | -11.5% |
| Intercity rail (Amtrak), national average | passenger-mile | 0.09676 | 0.09675 | +0.01% |
| Intercity rail, Northeast Corridor | passenger-mile | 0.02305 | 0.02305 | 0.0% |
| Commuter rail | passenger-mile | 0.1340 | 0.1340 | +0.01% |
| Transit rail (subway, tram) | passenger-mile | 0.09348 | 0.09348 | 0.0% |
| Bus | passenger-mile | 0.06664 | 0.06663 | +0.02% |
Freight
Goods moved by truck, rail, water and air, per ton-mile (Scope 3).
| Factor | Per | 2026 (kg CO2e) | 2025 (kg CO2e) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium- and heavy-duty truck | ton-mile | 0.1875 | 0.1875 | +0.02% |
| Rail freight | ton-mile | 0.02118 | 0.02118 | +0.01% |
| Waterborne craft (shipping, barge) | ton-mile | 0.07838 | 0.07840 | -0.02% |
| Aircraft (air freight) | ton-mile | 1.095 | 1.095 | +0.02% |
CO2, CH4 and N2O as published in each edition, converted to CO2e by Carbon Recycling with the 100-year GWPs that edition states. Combustion only; no upstream (well-to-tank) emissions. Each edition's own GWPs are used, so part of the change from 2025 to 2026 is the move from AR5 to AR6 values. Source: US EPA, GHG Emission Factors Hub (2023-2025 editions, public domain) and Emission Factors Hub 2026, Cornerstone Sustainability Data Initiative, CC BY 4.0. Hub 2026 (doi), EPA Hub.