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Abstract A system to obtain vehicular energy‐use and emissions in transient traffic is proposed. It operates at a microscopic 1‐s time scale, capturing critical stop‐and‐go dynamics in a controlled and repeatable computational environment. This allowed the definition of a sensitivity function linking energy‐use to traffic flow, providing an additional comparison parameter. To obtain the dynamics data, crucial for transient traffic modeling implementation and validation, a video‐tracking technique is used to overcome velocimeter and GPS data shortcomings. This approach allowed to observe and reproduce a traffic scene and agreed with a M/D/n queuing traffic model. Once the system contains precise dynamics, it can be implemented for traffic scenarios such as intersections, school areas, or future road projects. Any simulated vehicular technology can be incorporated into the analysis. A case study was implemented using 1000 electric (EV) and combustion engine vehicles (CV) interacting with trucks, buses, and motorcycles, while monitoring individual vehicular systems. These included the powertrain and regenerative braking to obtain energy‐use and emissions. EVs proved to be not only more efficient, but less sensitive to traffic buildup than CVs. The techniques presented here, lend themselves to technological design and evaluation and allows testing real‐life vehicular systems for sustainable traffic and energy planning.