"Is the automotive industry's transition to 'all-electric' the most effective way to decarbonise European transport?"
ROLLE, Switzerland, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Garrett Motion Inc. (Nasdaq: GTX), a differentiated technology provider for the automotive industry, has published a white paper titled "Is the automotive industry's transition to 100 percent electric vehicles the most effective way to decarbonize European transport?" The study compares the CO2 emissions generated by battery electric vehicles versus hybrid vehicles throughout their lifecycle, including the manufacture and use of these vehicles.
The objective of this study is to evaluate the years of use required for a battery electric vehicle to off-set the amount of CO2 generated during its life cycle (manufacture and use) compared to different types of hybrid vehicles. Most emissions are released during the battery manufacturing process. The larger the battery capacity, the higher the CO2 emissions. Hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles, by comparison, have batteries of smaller capacity. Therefore, emissions related to their manufacture are lower than 100 percent electric BEVs.
"We are all pursuing the same goal of reducing total vehicle emissions to achieve Net Zero. Electrification is essential to reduce CO2 emissions. But, as our study shows, for certain use cases some technologies can be less polluting than 100 percent electric vehicles. It is therefore crucial forconsumers to be able to choose the electrified solution that best suits their intended use.The 100 percent electric solution adopted only in Europe is by far not the best option to reduceCO2 emissions," said Olivier Rabiller, chairman and CEO of Garrett.
Garrett Motion's vehicle lifecycle study captures real-world CO2 emissions data from the European car market, by type of vehicle and by use.
Garrett's analysis complements the findings of other LCA studies by evaluating factors including a wide range of electrified technologies (100 percent electric, mild hybrid, hybrid, plug-in hybrid), different vehicle segments (compact, SUV, sports vehicle, and light commercial vehicle), the actual average vehicle usage in Europe as well as the intensity of electric power generation for production and battery charging.
Vehicle categories:
Types of vehicles:
Types of use (mileage) of the vehicle per year:
Garrett Motion's vehicle lifecycle study shows that the actual use of a vehicle is a determining factor in calculating its environmental impact.
Throughout its lifecycle (manufacture and use), the use of a vehicle, regardless of its technology, is a determining factor when calculating its real-world energy and environmental performance. Depending on the use, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric technologies may emit more or fewer CO2. A few examples :
Aligning the battery size of an electrified technology with the intended daily use, versus the occasional long trip, is ideal to avoid excess battery capacity and unnecessary emissions. For typical daily vehicle use in Europe, hybrids with low-capacity batteries outperform BEVs with oversized batteries in terms of minimizing emissions.
Thus, most battery electric vehicles have no intrinsic advantage over other electrified technologies in terms of total CO2 emissions over their lifetime. In fact, ongoing efforts to increase the autonomy of BEVs without accounting for C02 generated during production and for intended real-world uses can be counterproductive to emission reduction goals.
Garrett's LCA study suggests that, to meet the challenge of CO2 reductions as effectively as possible, battery electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles should be used together, in a complementary way to meet a wide variety of daily uses. Hence, the study concludes that the "100 percent BEV" mandates, such as the one to be implemented in Europe by 2035, is not an optimal solution to reduce the environmental impact of cars and commercial vehicles.
This study does not take into account key challenges beyond lifecycle CO2 emissions, such as the extraction of minerals needed to manufacture batteries and the costs associated with vehicle electrification. Electrification costs represent a major obstacle for widespread adoption and are mainly associated with the size of the battery and the materials required (e.g., copper, lithium). Notably, cost reductions expected from mass battery production yielding economies of scale remain small, given material price volatility and inflation triggered by growing demand.
Considering the contribution of batteries to the costs passed on to consumers, the above is further evidence of the importance of optimizing battery sizes according to the intended daily use, with hybrids and plug-in hybrids offering cost-efficient alternatives in many cases.
To read the white paper, visit Garrett Motion's Knowledge Center.To read press release, with LCA methodology and insights, and to downloadable image visit our Media Room.
About Garrett Motion Inc. - Garrett Motion is a differentiated technology leader serving automotive customers worldwide for nearly 70 years. Known for its global leadership in turbocharging, the company develops transformative technologies for vehicles to become cleaner and more efficient. Its advanced technologies help reduce emissions and reach zero emissions via passenger and commercial vehicle applications – for on and off-highway use. Its portfolio includes turbochargers, electric turbos (E-Turbo) and electric compressors (E-Compressor) for both ICE and hybrid powertrains. In the zero-emissions vehicle category, the company offers fuel cell compressors for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) as well as electric propulsion and thermal management systems for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Garrett boasts five R&D centers, 13 manufacturing sites and a team of 9300 people located in more than 20 countries. Its mission is to empower the transportation industry to further advance motion through unique, differentiated innovations. For more information, please visit www.garrettmotion.com.
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