Life cycle cost and GHG emission benefits of electric vehicles in China

Abstract

The penetration rate of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is continuously growing in China. Since EV is considered as an environment-friendly vehicle with lower cost of operation, many studies have paid attention to the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission evaluation on EVs. This study aims to expand the scope and provide comprehensive results for LCC and GHG emission comparison between ICEV and EV under different driving cycles, which refer to the driving patterns and parameters such as velocity and acceleration changed by years. The charging infrastructure and battery pilot use have also been involved in the evaluation. Results show that the LCC of an EV is about 9% higher than that of an ICEV under the driving cycle in Beijing in 2020. At the same time, the life cycle GHG emissions of an EV are about 29% lower than those of an ICEV. If the lifetime mileage is not as long as expected, the gap of LCC would be larger and the gap of GHG emissions would be smaller. Recycling is very effective in reducing the GHG emissions but does not work for LCC reduction. Battery pilot use has large potentials on LCC reduction but it still needs time to realize. In this scenario without battery pilot use, the cost effectiveness of an EV is about 4 kg CO2eq/$.