Well-to-wheel costs, primary energy demand, and greenhouse gas emissions for the production and operation of conventional and alternative vehicles. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yazdanie, Mashael; Noembrini, Fabrizio; Heinen, Steve; Espinel, Augusto; Boulouchos, Konstantinos
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 48(2016)
• Page Start: 63
• Page End: 84
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: Well-to-wheel -- GHG emissions -- Energy demand -- Cost -- Vehicle -- Hydrogen production; Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 354.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2016.08.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1361-9209

Abstract

Highlights: Well-to-wheel energy demand, emissions, and costs are found for several drivetrains. Vehicle production, operation, maintenance, and disposal are considered. Energy carriers (ECs), production means, batteries, and driving ranges are compared. Natural gas and biogas-based vehicles deliver the best overall performances. EC and batteries are significant contributors to energy demand, emissions and costs. Abstract: This study provides a comprehensive comparison of well-to-wheel (WTW) energy demand, WTW GHG emissions, and costs for conventional ICE and alternative passenger car powertrains, including full electric, hybrid, and fuel cell powertrains. Vehicle production, operation, maintenance, and disposal are considered, along with a range of hydrogen production processes, electricity mixes, ICE fuels, and battery types. Results are determined based on a reference vehicle, powertrain efficiencies, life cycle inventory data, and cost estimations. Powertrain performance is measured against a gasoline ICE vehicle. Energy carrier and battery production are found to be the largest contributors to WTW energy demand, GHG emissions, and costs; however, electric powertrain performance is highly sensitive to battery specific energy. ICE and full hybrid vehicles using alternative fuels to gasoline, and fuel cell vehicles using natural gas hydrogen production pathways, are the only powertrains which demonstrate reductions in all three evaluation categories simultaneously (i.e., WTW energy demand, emissions, and costs). Overall, however, WTW emission reductions depend more on the energy carrier production pathway than on the powertrain; hence, alternative energy carriers to gasoline for an ICE-based fleet (including hybrids) should be emphasized from a policy perspective in the short-term. This will ease the transition towards a low-emission fleet in Switzerland.