Comparative Life Cycle Energy and GHG Emission Analysis for BEVs and PhEVs: A Case Study in China

Abstract

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are seen as the most promising alternatives to internal combustion vehicles, as a means to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. To provide the basis for preferable decisions among these vehicle technologies, an environmental benefit evaluation should be conducted. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) are two most often applied batteries to power these vehicles. Given this context, this study aims to compare life cycle energy consumption and GHG emissions of BEVs and PHEVs, both of which are powered by LFP and NMC batteries. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses are conducted, concerning electricity generation mix, lifetime mileage, utility factor, and battery recycling. BEVs are found to be less emission-intensive than PHEVs given the existing and near-future electricity generation mix in China, and the energy consumption and GHG emissions of a BEV are about 3.04% (NMC) to 9.57% (LFP) and 15.95% (NMC) to 26.32% (LFP) lower, respectively, than those of a PHEV.

Life Cycle Assessment of an NMC Battery for Application to Electric Light-Duty Commercial Vehicles and Comparison with a Sodium-Nickel-Chloride Battery

“…In our study, the battery and vehicle production, vehicle use, and vehicle maintenance stages contribute to the GWP of NMC-BEV by 48%, 51%, and 1%, respectively. These percentages appear to be consistent with [31,54]. NMC-BEV has less impact than DIE-ICEV on GWP (−32 %) and CED (−12%) and this is consistent with the results of [31] (−45% and −20%, respectively).…”

Economic and Environmental Changes in Shenzhen—A Technology Hub in Southern China

“…IPCC suggested that the global warming potentials of CH 4 and N 2 O relative to CO 2 should be set to 28 and 265, respectively, based on cumulative forcing over 100 years [64]. Emission factor of electricity was set to 726 g CO 2 -eq/kWh because researchers reported that the production of 1kWh electricity generated 715 to 736.8 g CO 2 -eq in China [65,66]. This value was about the same as emission factor of electricity in Hong Kong at 722 g CO 2 -eq/kWh in which a portion of electricity was generated by nuclear power in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant [4,67].…”

Technology Development of Electric Vehicles: A Review

“…Therefore, many countries have implemented new energy vehicles (NEVs) as alternatives to conventional vehicles to reduce the dependence on oil and air pollution caused by conventional vehicles [2][3][4]. As the world's largest automotive market, China has been committed to promoting NEVs to reduce the consumption and import of oil [3,5,6]. In Europe, Germany proposes to have one million EVs in operation by 2020 to reduce CO 2 emissions [7][8][9]; France and UK have also aimed to restrict the in-country sale of conventional vehicles by 2040 [2].…”