Analysis of fuel and powertrain combinations for heavy-duty vehicles from a well-to-wheels perspective: Model development and sample application

Abstract

This article applies the Well-to-Wheels (WTW) methodology in order to evaluate to which extent alternative fuels and powertrains can contribute to GHG emissions reductions within the heavy-duty segment of the European Union (EU). The analysis compares the WTW chain of diesel as the fossil benchmark to biodiesel, bio-methane, Power-to-Liquid (PtL) and Power-to-Gas (PtG) fuels, as well as catenary electric vehicles (CEVs) in heavy-duty tractor-trailers. The WTW analysis found that fuel and powertrain combinations from renewable energy sources offer a high potential for reducing GHG emissions as compared to diesel, however, the magnitude of the reductions significantly varies depending on feedstock and fuel type. Taking feedstock availability into account, the direct use of electricity in CEVs was identified as the most promising option for decarbonizing the heavy-duty long-haul sector, although the performance of CEVs depends on the extent to which the required energy comes from non-fossil resources.