Greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles in Ireland

Abstract

Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDVs) pose a significant challenge in meeting emissions reduction targets. However, studies on estimating emissions from Irish HDV fleet are rare. This paper estimates fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from tractor-trailers that occupy nearly half of Ireland’s HDV fleet using the European Commission recommended VECTO tool. To improve the estimation accuracy, driving cycles specific to Irish road conditions were developed utilising real naturalistic driving data from trucks. The Irish driving cycles significantly differ from the VECTO inbuilt driving cycles in percentage time spent in different gears, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. CO2 emissions estimated with Irish driving cycles range from 733 to 1961 g/km, while with VECTO driving cycles, the values ranged from 728 to 1865 g/km. Further, the study evaluated the sensitivity towards payload, road gradient, and idling percentages. The study insights would provide an essential evidence base for policymakers in Ireland.