Abstract
Achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals from the transportation sector will be a monumental challenge. Various alternative vehicle technologies such as plug-in hybrids, battery and fuel cell electric vehicles offer the promise of sharply reducing end use emissions. However, when considering the full fuel cycle, it is clear that a dramatically cleaner electricity grid will also be necessary if we ever hope to meet ambitious long-term reduction goals. To demonstrate the importance of achieving this dramatically cleaner grid, our analysis implements Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model and the latest Annual Energy Outlook data to evaluate the relative merit of various alternative vehicles on a well-to-wheel basis while taking into account projections for the evolution of the U.S. electricity supply. Fortunately, significant progress is now underway to transform the electricity sector. The emergence of substantial supplies of shale gas, at low cost and substantial abundance, has dramatically reshaped the energy landscape. There are multiple pathways for this abundant supply of natural gas to help reduce the transportation sector emissions footprint, whether through greater utilization in highly efficient natural gas combined-cycle electricity generators, direct use in compressed natural gas vehicles, or steam reformation to provide hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles. Greater reliance on high efficiency natural gas combined cycle generators, combined with the steady expansion of renewable generation and energy efficiency, is providing a critical alternative to continued reliance on dirty, legacy generators. This emerging new clean power paradigm can multiply the benefits of more rapid growth in electric drive vehicles.
Highlights
Achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals from the transportation sector will be a monumental challenge
In higher density service areas like the Pacific or Middle Atlantic, battery electric vehicle (BEV) would be most effective in reducing WtW carbon emissions from light-duty vehicles (LDVs), but in all of the other census regions, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) would work best, since they are not grid dependent
BEVs do not provide much of an emissions advantage in the regions that are most reliant on coal-based electricity generation, whereas they can provide enormous benefits in areas like the Pacific Coast where generation is supplied by a lower-carbon mix of hydroelectric, nuclear, renewable and/or natural gas generators
Summary
While electrification of transportation eliminates important tailpipe emissions, reductions over the full fuel cycle are bounded by the relative cleanliness of the source of the electricity supplied to these vehicles. Grid-dependent and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would be cleaner on a well-to-wheels (WtW) 1 basis in the Pacific Regions (4% coal, 195 kgCO2/MWh), and worst in the West North Central In higher density service areas like the Pacific or Middle Atlantic, BEVs would be most effective in reducing WtW carbon emissions from light-duty vehicles (LDVs), but in all of the other census regions, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) would work best, since they are not grid dependent. To further explore this concept, we commenced our analysis by using The Greenhouse Gases, Regulated. What's The Cleanest Alternative Vehicle? Depends Where You Live
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
