Title: Well-to-wheel CO₂ analysis of electric and ICE vehicles: are global CO₂ emission reductions possible?

Authors: Asgeir Helland

Addresses: Think Global AS, IT Fornebu, Martin Lingesvei 17, 1367 Snaroya, Norway

Abstract: In this study, a well-to-wheel CO₂ analysis of the usage phase of an Electric Vehicle (EV) compared with Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)-based vehicles is conducted. This study uses vehicle-type approval data of the vehicles and official fuel consumption data for comparison. It was found that EVs move the CO₂ emissions from the transport sector to the electricity sector, but contribute to reducing the overall global emissions. For urban driving, this reduction ranges from 30% to 95% depending on the country in question. In rush hour the EV outperforms all other fossil-fuelled alternatives even if charged on electricity from hard coal.

Keywords: battery electric vehicles; greenhouse gases; GHG emissions; CO2 emissions; carbon emissions; carbon dioxide; climate change; internal combustion engines; ICE; transport; well-to-wheel; life cycle analysis; LCA; fuel combustion; urban driving; rush hour; global warming; emission reductions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2009.029214

International Journal of Global Warming, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.432 - 442

Published online: 10 Nov 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article