Abstract:

This wide-ranging life-cycle assessment (LCA) examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of passenger cars, including SUVs. This study is a life-cycle assessment (LCA) of the GHG emissions of passenger cars in China, Europe, India, and the United States, four markets that are home to the majority of global new passenger car sales and reflect much of the variety in the global vehicle market. The study considers the most relevant powertrain types—internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs); plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); battery electric vehicles (BEVs); and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)—and a variety of fuel types and power sources including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, biofuels, e-fuels, hydrogen, and electricity. For each region, the analysis is based on average vehicle characteristics across the most representative market segments and considers fuel and electricity consumption in real-world driving conditions. Additionally, based on stated policies, the study estimates how the lifecycle GHG emissions of cars expected to be registered in 2030 compare with vehicles registered today. For both 2021 and 2030 cars, it considers the changing fuel and electricity mixes during the lifetime of the vehicles.