The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles
Electrification can reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of light-duty vehicles. Previous studies have focused on comparing battery electric vehicle (BEV) sedans to their conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) counterparts. We extend the analysis...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5142 |
| _version_ | 1797747079422935040 |
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| author | Maxwell Woody Parth Vaishnav Gregory A Keoleian Robert De Kleine Hyung Chul Kim James E Anderson Timothy J Wallington |
| author_facet | Maxwell Woody Parth Vaishnav Gregory A Keoleian Robert De Kleine Hyung Chul Kim James E Anderson Timothy J Wallington |
| author_sort | Maxwell Woody |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Electrification can reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of light-duty vehicles. Previous studies have focused on comparing battery electric vehicle (BEV) sedans to their conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) counterparts. We extend the analysis to different vehicle classes by conducting a cradle-to-grave life cycle GHG assessment of model year 2020 ICEV, HEV, and BEV sedans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and pickup trucks in the United States. We show that the proportional emissions benefit of electrification is approximately independent of vehicle class. For sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks we find HEVs and BEVs have approximately 28% and 64% lower cradle-to-grave life cycle emissions, respectively, than ICEVs in our base case model. This results in a lifetime BEV over ICEV GHG emissions benefit of approximately 45 tonnes CO _2 e for sedans, 56 tonnes CO _2 e for SUVs, and 74 tonnes CO _2 e for pickup trucks. The benefits of electrification remain significant with increased battery size, reduced BEV lifetime, and across a variety of drive cycles and decarbonization scenarios. However, there is substantial variation in emissions based on where and when a vehicle is charged and operated, due to the impact of ambient temperature on fuel economy and the spatiotemporal variability in grid carbon intensity across the United States. Regionally, BEV pickup GHG emissions are 13%–118% of their ICEV counterparts and 14%–134% of their HEV counterparts across U.S. counties. BEVs have lower GHG emissions than HEVs in 95%–96% of counties and lower GHG emissions than ICEVs in 98%–99% of counties. As consumers migrate from ICEVs and HEVs to BEVs, accounting for these spatiotemporal factors and the wide range of available vehicle classes is an important consideration for electric vehicle deployment, operation, policymaking, and planning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:46:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-749c440e40104ecfb0d2d1163b641edb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:46:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-749c440e40104ecfb0d2d1163b641edb2023-08-09T15:24:54ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262022-01-0117303403110.1088/1748-9326/ac5142The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehiclesMaxwell Woody0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6610-2777Parth Vaishnav1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1582-4523Gregory A Keoleian2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7096-1304Robert De Kleine3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6510-9336Hyung Chul Kim4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0992-4547James E Anderson5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0878-5271Timothy J Wallington6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9810-6326Center for Sustainable Systems, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan , 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48019, United States of AmericaCenter for Sustainable Systems, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan , 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48019, United States of AmericaCenter for Sustainable Systems, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan , 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48019, United States of AmericaResearch and Innovation Center, Ford Motor Company , Dearborn, MI 48121, United States of AmericaResearch and Innovation Center, Ford Motor Company , Dearborn, MI 48121, United States of AmericaResearch and Innovation Center, Ford Motor Company , Dearborn, MI 48121, United States of AmericaResearch and Innovation Center, Ford Motor Company , Dearborn, MI 48121, United States of AmericaElectrification can reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of light-duty vehicles. Previous studies have focused on comparing battery electric vehicle (BEV) sedans to their conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) counterparts. We extend the analysis to different vehicle classes by conducting a cradle-to-grave life cycle GHG assessment of model year 2020 ICEV, HEV, and BEV sedans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and pickup trucks in the United States. We show that the proportional emissions benefit of electrification is approximately independent of vehicle class. For sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks we find HEVs and BEVs have approximately 28% and 64% lower cradle-to-grave life cycle emissions, respectively, than ICEVs in our base case model. This results in a lifetime BEV over ICEV GHG emissions benefit of approximately 45 tonnes CO _2 e for sedans, 56 tonnes CO _2 e for SUVs, and 74 tonnes CO _2 e for pickup trucks. The benefits of electrification remain significant with increased battery size, reduced BEV lifetime, and across a variety of drive cycles and decarbonization scenarios. However, there is substantial variation in emissions based on where and when a vehicle is charged and operated, due to the impact of ambient temperature on fuel economy and the spatiotemporal variability in grid carbon intensity across the United States. Regionally, BEV pickup GHG emissions are 13%–118% of their ICEV counterparts and 14%–134% of their HEV counterparts across U.S. counties. BEVs have lower GHG emissions than HEVs in 95%–96% of counties and lower GHG emissions than ICEVs in 98%–99% of counties. As consumers migrate from ICEVs and HEVs to BEVs, accounting for these spatiotemporal factors and the wide range of available vehicle classes is an important consideration for electric vehicle deployment, operation, policymaking, and planning.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5142electric vehiclespickup truckgreenhouse gas emissionslife cycle assessmentchargingclimate |
| spellingShingle | Maxwell Woody Parth Vaishnav Gregory A Keoleian Robert De Kleine Hyung Chul Kim James E Anderson Timothy J Wallington The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles Environmental Research Letters electric vehicles pickup truck greenhouse gas emissions life cycle assessment charging climate |
| title | The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles |
| title_full | The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles |
| title_fullStr | The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles |
| title_short | The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles |
| title_sort | role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light duty vehicles |
| topic | electric vehicles pickup truck greenhouse gas emissions life cycle assessment charging climate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5142 |
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