Abstract
This work presents a detailed breakdown of the energy conversion chains from intermittent electricity to a vehicle, considering battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). The traditional well-to-wheel analysis is adapted to a grid to mobility approach by introducing the intermediate steps of useful electricity, energy carrier and on-board storage. Specific attention is given to an effective coupling with renewable electricity sources and associated storage needs. Actual market data show that, compared to FCEVs, BEVs and their infrastructure are twice as efficient in the conversion of renewable electricity to a mobility service. A much larger difference between BEVs and FCEVs is usually reported in the literature. Focusing on recharging events, this work additionally shows that the infrastructure efficiencies of both electric vehicle (EV) types are very close, with 57% from grid to on-board storage for hydrogen refilling stations and 66% for fast chargers coupled with battery storage. The transfer from the energy carrier at the station to on-board storage in the vehicle accounts for 9% and 12% of the total energy losses of these two modes, respectively. Slow charging modes can achieve a charging infrastructure efficiency of 78% with residential energy storage systems coupled with AC chargers.
Highlights
The transport sector contributes to two major environmental issues on both the local and global scale
In order to address these gaps, we introduced a new segmentation and adapted the WtW approach to electric vehicle (EV) specificities
The development of electric mobility is often understood as the development of green mobility
Summary
The transport sector contributes to two major environmental issues on both the local and global scale. Urban areas are affected by high levels of noise and air pollution (PM10, NOx , SOx , CO, etc.), and second, fossil fuel combustion in diesel and gasoline engines releases CO2 into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Electric vehicles (EVs) address both issues: the first one as a direct consequence of electric drivetrains and the lack of fossil fuel combustion and the second one in parallel with the growing share of renewables in the electricity mix. This work compares the energy conversion chains and infrastructures required to deliver an effective driving range for EVs. Taking into account the whole energy chain, from renewable electricity to useful energy in the vehicle and eventually the distance covered with one electric charge or a hydrogen refill, it presents an updated and realistic comparison of practical ranges achievable with a given amount of renewable electricity
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