The purpose of vehicle electrification is to reduce emissions from transportation systems by replacing internal combustion engines (ICEs) with electric motors.
Electric vehicles (EVs) run on batteries or fuel cells that store electricity and transfer it to the car’s motors through electric motors. As such, EVs are much more energy-efficient than traditional gasoline-powered cars and require much less gasoline to run.
Reduced Emissions
The transportation sector in the United States is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Light-duty vehicles such as sedans and SUVs account for almost 58% of these emissions.
Vehicle electrification is an effective strategy to reduce emissions. Compared to gasoline-powered cars, electric vehicles produce significantly lower GHG emissions over their lifetime of operation.
EVs can range in type from all-electric cars to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Hybrids that combine an internal combustion engine and battery-powered drivetrain also exist, though these tend to be more fuel efficient than HEVs and produce lower direct emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles; however, when driving in all-electric mode or during charging they may still emit evaporative emissions.
These emissions can be quantified using a method called life cycle analysis, also referred to as “cradle-to-grave emissions.” This technique takes into account all fuel cycle emissions associated with production, distribution and use of gasoline and electricity as well as vehicle cycle emissions from manufacturing, transporting and disposing of vehicles.
Overall, the study determined that replacing a car with an electric vehicle saves around 45 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over its lifetime; replacing an SUV or pickup with an EV saves 56 metric tons equivalent. These savings are roughly similar across all vehicle classes and are expected to continue rising as more EVs enter the market.
Vehicle electrification not only reduces fuel consumption and emissions, it can also decrease CO2 output from manufacturing by decreasing battery demand. To do this, an electric road system with available stationary charging infrastructure must be implemented; however, current policies and global manufacturing pathways determine whether such abatement potential will be significant or not.
Even with optimistic projections of new EV sales, even optimistic impacts on transportation sector GHG emissions will be minimal in the short run. This is because it takes years to turn over a passenger vehicle fleet and decades for truck fleets, meaning fewer EVs will be in operation by the time a vehicle retires.
Reduced Fuel Consumption
Electrification is an effective climate change mitigation strategy, often accompanied by reductions in air pollutant emissions. However, previous studies have uncovered various co-benefits and trade-offs associated with vehicle electrification.
One of the primary advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) is that they use less fuel than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, since they don’t need to burn any gasoline. Instead, EVs charge their batteries from an electricity grid. Furthermore, EVs reduce well-to-wheel emissions–emissions which aren’t directly emitted by ICE engines–by approximately half.
Though fuel efficiency may seem like a minor consideration, it has an immense effect on the carbon footprint of an electric vehicle. In fact, one single electric vehicle emits significantly less CO2 than traditional ICE vehicles do.
As previously discussed, much of the fuel used in an electric vehicle (EV) is consumed during battery charging and other operations. This energy is typically derived from fossil sources but could alternatively come from renewable resources.
Although vehicle electrification can help reduce a vehicle’s carbon footprint, it also limits its capacity to take advantage of other environmental advantages related to electrification. For instance, much of the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles or battery electric vehicles are due to manufacturing and transportation of electricity required for charging them.
Furthermore, a small amount of the energy necessary for an electric vehicle’s driving range is used for cooling and power steering. Furthermore, they may lose energy during recharge or generate waste heat when temperatures drop, so it’s essential to consider how much power is consumed by your EV’s auxiliary electric functions.
For example, the heating of a PHEV’s cabin requires electricity in order to provide necessary warmth and prevent it from overheating. This may result in increased auxiliary electric usage when driving during cold weather conditions.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are more energy-efficient than their traditional ICE counterparts, enabling them to reduce their CO2 emissions by over a third. Furthermore, EVs produce far fewer pollutants than their ICE counterparts.
Reduced Maintenance Costs
When consumers consider long-term purchases like a house, car or major appliance, maintenance and repair costs might be one of the biggest deterrents. Electric cars have fewer moving parts than their gasoline-powered counterparts, meaning they require less upkeep.
Consumer Reports recently discovered that owners of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) pay half as much for lifetime maintenance and repairs compared to conventionally fueled vehicles. This is largely due to fewer components in electric cars as well as their use of regenerative braking systems that reduce brake wear, particularly over time.
Electric vehicles (EVs) also utilize more cost-effective lithium-ion batteries that require less replacement than gasoline-powered ones. This lower cost is expected to continue decreasing maintenance expenses as battery prices decrease.
BEVs and PHEVs require fewer parts than traditional gasoline-powered cars, making them more reliable vehicles. Furthermore, they use fixed gears instead of transmissions and regenerative braking, meaning they require less upkeep than traditional cars.
Vehicle electrification can offer rural motorists significant financial savings due to lower maintenance costs. Rural areas tend to drive more than urban drivers, have higher fuel costs and fewer transportation alternatives available to them.
Furthermore, the low maintenance costs of electric vehicles (EVs) could make them attractive options for companies and governments that own fleets of light-duty vehicles. Motor Trend estimates that it would be $78 million cheaper to maintain an all-electric fleet than an all-gasoline one.
In the future, these costs are expected to become even lower as electric vehicle technology develops and battery prices decrease. These benefits are anticipated to spur widespread adoption of EVs; according to CR study estimates by 2030 BEV and PHEV owners will pay approximately half as much for maintenance and repair compared to their ICE counterparts.
Reduced Total Cost of Ownership
Vehicle electrification is an effective tool for cutting emissions and improving air quality. Additionally, it is a cost-effective way to help reach the United States’ national goal of making half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 electric.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are more cost-effective to run and maintain than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts due to the reduced fuel consumption and maintenance requirements associated with an electric motor. For instance, oil changes are no longer required in EVs, eliminating the need to change transmission fluids and air filters as well.
Battery-powered EVs are even more cost-effective to own and operate than their gasoline-powered counterparts, as their batteries require much lower upkeep costs than traditional automotive battery systems. These savings can be passed onto customers; on average, electric vehicle owners spend $330 less than their gas-powered car over their lifetime of ownership.
Additionally, electric vehicles (EVs) could offer valuable contributions to the electric grid by recharging when electricity is abundant and discharging when there is a shortage of power on site. This capability could help stabilize local electricity supplies and accommodate fluctuations in renewable energy source production.
The total cost of ownership (TCO) for an electric vehicle (EV) depends on the purchase price, financing costs, and depreciation over time. Battery-powered EVs typically offer lower TCOs than traditional cars due to their decreasing costs as battery prices continue to fall.
Though EVs offer lower total costs of ownership, they may not be suitable for all buyers. Some may opt to purchase a traditional combustion-engine vehicle instead, in order to bypass the higher initial investment of an EV and associated maintenance expenses over its life.
In addition to having a lower total cost of ownership (TCO), electric cars can save you money on fuel and maintenance by burning cleaner-burning alternative fuels. In some cases, the savings could reach as high as 30 percent or more!
Finally, the lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of an electric vehicle makes it increasingly attractive to buyers as technology develops and fuel prices rise. According to Boston Consulting Group, many drivers will soon find that plug-in EVs offer the most cost effective choice when shopping for a vehicle.