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The greenhouse gas emissions of an electrified vehicle combined with renewable fuels: Life cycle assessment and policy implications

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  • Andersson, Öivind
  • Börjesson, Pål

Abstract

A life cycle assessment is presented for a current vehicle’s greenhouse gas impact when using a combination of electrification and renewable fuels. Three degrees of electrification are considered: a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and a battery-electric vehicle. These are combined with fuels with various degrees of renewable content, representing a fossil fuel, a first-generation biofuel and a second-generation biofuel. For charging, the 2020 European electricity mix is used and compared with an electricity mix of low greenhouse-gas intensity. Renewable fuels are found to have a greater potential to reduce the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than a low carbon electricity mix. The results are discussed in terms of the supply potential for renewable fuels on the fleet level. It is found that plug-in hybrid vehicles may enable the automotive sector to reach more ambitious climate goals than battery-electric vehicles. An assessment is also made of how the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions compare with the emissions as measured by current policy instruments. The discrepancies indicate that current climate policy instruments are inadequate for minimizing the automotive sector’s climate impact and suggestions for improvements are made.

Suggested Citation

  • Andersson, Öivind & Börjesson, Pål, 2021. "The greenhouse gas emissions of an electrified vehicle combined with renewable fuels: Life cycle assessment and policy implications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:289:y:2021:i:c:s0306261921001562
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.116621
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    Cited by:

    1. García, Antonio & Monsalve-Serrano, Javier & Lago Sari, Rafael & Tripathi, Shashwat, 2022. "Life cycle CO₂ footprint reduction comparison of hybrid and electric buses for bus transit networks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    2. Desreveaux, A. & Bouscayrol, A. & Trigui, R. & Hittinger, E. & Castex, E. & Sirbu, G.M., 2023. "Accurate energy consumption for comparison of climate change impact of thermal and electric vehicles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    3. Emad Kazemzadeh & Matheus Koengkan & José Alberto Fuinhas, 2022. "Effect of Battery-Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles on PM2.5 Emissions in 29 European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, February.
    4. Zhang, Hao & Fan, Qinhao & Liu, Shang & Li, Shengbo Eben & Huang, Jin & Wang, Zhi, 2021. "Hierarchical energy management strategy for plug-in hybrid electric powertrain integrated with dual-mode combustion engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    5. Ruslans Smigins & Kristaps Sondors & Vilnis Pirs & Ilmars Dukulis & Gints Birzietis, 2023. "Studies of Engine Performance and Emissions at Full-Load Mode Using HVO, Diesel Fuel, and HVO5," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-14, June.
    6. Jan Verhaegh & Frank Kupper & Frank Willems, 2022. "Data-Driven Air-Fuel Path Control Design for Robust RCCI Engine Operation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-25, March.
    7. Vasileios Georgitzikis & Dionisis Pettas & Konstantinos Loukas & Georgios Mavropoulos, 2023. "LESS Spark Ignition Engine: An Innovative Alternative to the Crankshaft Mechanism," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-36, September.
    8. Srivastava, Vivek & Schaub, Joschka & Pischinger, Stefan, 2023. "Model-based closed-loop control strategies for flex-fuel capability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
    9. Zhang, Hao & Liu, Shang & Lei, Nuo & Fan, Qinhao & Wang, Zhi, 2022. "Leveraging the benefits of ethanol-fueled advanced combustion and supervisory control optimization in hybrid biofuel-electric vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    10. Ioana-Cristina Badea & Beatrice-Adriana Șerban & Ioana Anasiei & Dumitru Mitrică & Mihai Tudor Olaru & Andrey Rabin & Mariana Ciurdaș, 2023. "The Energy Storage Technology Revolution to Achieve Climate Neutrality," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1, December.
    11. Yang, Chen, 2022. "Running battery electric vehicles with extended range: Coupling cost and energy analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PB).
    12. Buberger, Johannes & Kersten, Anton & Kuder, Manuel & Eckerle, Richard & Weyh, Thomas & Thiringer, Torbjörn, 2022. "Total CO2-equivalent life-cycle emissions from commercially available passenger cars," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    13. Anselma, Pier Giuseppe, 2022. "Computationally efficient evaluation of fuel and electrical energy economy of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with smooth driving constraints," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    14. Yin, WanJun & Qin, Xuan, 2022. "Cooperative optimization strategy for large-scale electric vehicle charging and discharging," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    15. van den Oever, A.E.M. & Costa, D. & Messagie, M., 2023. "Prospective life cycle assessment of alternatively fueled heavy-duty trucks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    16. Tobias Frambach & Ralf Kleisch & Ralf Liedtke & Jochen Schwarzer & Egbert Figgemeier, 2022. "Environmental Impact Assessment and Classification of 48 V Plug-in Hybrids with Real-Driving Use Case Simulations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, March.
    17. Shi, Lei & Wu, Rongxin & Lin, Boqiang, 2023. "Where will go for electric vehicles in China after the government subsidy incentives are abolished? A controversial consumer perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    18. García, Antonio & Monsalve-Serrano, Javier & Lago Sari, Rafael & Tripathi, Shashwat, 2022. "Pathways to achieve future CO2 emission reduction targets for bus transit networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PB).
    19. Robin Smit & Daniel William Kennedy, 2022. "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Performance of Electric and Fossil-Fueled Passenger Vehicles with Uncertainty Estimates Using a Probabilistic Life-Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-29, March.
    20. José Alberto Fuinhas & Matheus Koengkan & Nuno Carlos Leitão & Chinazaekpere Nwani & Gizem Uzuner & Fatemeh Dehdar & Stefania Relva & Drielli Peyerl, 2021. "Effect of Battery Electric Vehicles on Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 29 European Union Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-26, December.

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