Comparative Well-to-Wheel Emissions Assessment of Internal Combustion Engine and Battery Electric Vehicles

Abstract

Continuous efforts are made to reduce the lifecycle contribution of the automotive sector in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, the main greenhouse gas, focusing mainly on the manufacturing and use phases Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are widely excepted as the next technology paradigm due to their significantly decreased emissions compared to conventional gasoline or diesel Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs) during their use. In the specific study, a Well-to-Wheel framework has been proposed to compare the contribution of ICEVs and BEVs into air pollution, including the entire process of the energy flow from the extraction of the energy source up to the vehicle being driven. Moreover, owing to the direct link between consumption and emissions, the underestimation of the economy figures delivered during the vehicle's testing in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) is considered. The in-use fuel/electricity consumption was assessed based on the corresponding published type-approval values. Finally, simulation tests were conducted to evaluate the computed emission results.