Alternative Fuels Data Center: Emissions from Electric Vehicles

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<h1>Emissions from Electric Vehicles</h1> <p>All-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) typically produce lower tailpipe emissions than conventional vehicles do, and zero tailpipe emissions when running only on electricity. Tailpipe emissions are only one factor in considering a vehicle's life cycle emissions; gasoline and electricity <a href="/glossary.html#FuelPathway" class="glossary">fuel pathways</a> also have upstream emissions to consider, which include extracting, refining, producing, and transporting the fuel. Estimating <a href="#wheel">cradle-to-grave</a> emissions must account for both fuel-cycle emissions (also known as "well to wheels") and vehicle-cycle emissions (material and vehicle production as well as end of life). The combined emissions from vehicle and fuel production through vehicle decommissioning (i.e., recycling or scrapping) are referred to as life cycle or cradle-to-grave emissions.</p> <h2>Electricity Sources and Fuel-Cycle Emissions</h2> <p>All-electric vehicles and PHEVs running only on electricity have zero tailpipe emissions, but electricity production, such as power plants, may generate emissions. In geographic areas that use relatively low-polluting energy sources for electricity generation, all-electric vehicles and PHEVs typically have an especially large life cycle emissions advantage over similar conventional vehicles running on gasoline or diesel. In areas with higher-emissions electricity, all-electric vehicles and PHEVs may not demonstrate as strong a life cycle emissions benefit.</p> <div style="margin-bottom: 15px;"> <iframe src="https://widgets.nrel.gov/afdc/electricity-sources-and-emissions/#/?afdc=true&hide_source=true" id="afdc-eset" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="100%" height="auto" allow="clipboard-write"></iframe> <script type="text/javascript"> window.addEventListener('message', (event) => { if (event && event.data && event.data.type === 'resize-embed-afdc-eset') { document.getElementById("afdc-eset").height = event.data.height; } }); </script> </div> <h2 id="wheel">Direct, Well-to-Wheel, and Cradle-to-Grave Emissions</h2> <p>Vehicle emissions can be divided into two general categories: air pollutants, which contribute to smog, haze, and health problems; and greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as carbon dioxide and methane. Both categories of emissions can be evaluated on a tailpipe basis, a well-to-wheel basis, and a cradle-to-grave basis.</p> <p>Conventional vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE) produce direct emissions through the tailpipe, as well as through evaporation from the vehicle's fuel system and during the fueling process. Conversely, all-electric vehicles produce zero direct emissions. PHEVs produce zero direct emissions when they are in all-electric mode, but they can produce evaporative emissions. When using the ICE, PHEVs produce tailpipe emissions. However, their direct emissions are typically lower than those of comparable conventional vehicles.</p> <p>Well-to-wheel emissions include all emissions related to fuel production, processing, distribution, and use. In the case of gasoline, emissions are produced while extracting petroleum from the earth, refining it, distributing the fuel to stations, and burning it in vehicles. In the case of electricity, most electric power plants produce emissions, and there are additional emissions associated with the extraction, processing, and distribution of the primary energy sources they use for electricity production.</p> <p>Cradle-to-grave emissions include all emissions considered on a well-to-wheel basis as well as vehicle-cycle emissions associated with vehicle and battery manufacturing, <a href="/vehicles/electric-batteries#recyclability">recycling</a>, and disposal.</p> <h2>Related Reports</h2> <p>Learn more about electric-drive vehicle emissions in two reports:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://greet.anl.gov/publication-c2g_lca_us_ldv">Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle Analysis of U.S. Light-Duty Vehicle-Fuel Pathways: A Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Assessment of Current (2020) and Future (2030-2035) Technologies</a></li> <li><a href="https://afdc.energy.gov/files/u/publication/ev_emissions_impact.pdf">Emissions Associated with Electric Vehicle Charging: Impact of Electricity Generation Mix, Charging Infrastructure Availability, and Vehicle Type</a></li> </ul>  </div> </div> <footer> <div id="footer_nav" class="row-fluid hidden-print"> <div class="span4"> <div class="footer-nav-list"> <h5><a href="/fuels/">Fuels & Vehicles</a></h5> <ul><li><a href="/fuels/biodiesel">Biodiesel</a></li><li class="selected"><a class="selected" href="/fuels/electricity">Electricity</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/ethanol">Ethanol</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/hydrogen">Hydrogen</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/natural-gas">Natural Gas</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/propane">Propane</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/renewable-diesel">Renewable Diesel</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/sustainable-aviation-fuel">Sustainable Aviation Fuel</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/emerging">Emerging Fuels</a></li><li><a href="/fuels/prices.html">Fuel Prices</a></li></ul> </div> </div> <div class="span4"> <div class="footer-nav-list"> <h5><a href="/conserve/">Conserve Fuel</a></h5> <ul><li><a href="/conserve/idle-reduction-basics">Idle Reduction</a></li><li><a href="/conserve/equipment">Parts & Equipment</a></li><li><a href="/conserve/driving-behavior">Driving Behavior</a></li><li><a href="/conserve/rightsizing">Fleet Rightsizing</a></li><li><a href="/conserve/system-efficiency">System Efficiency</a></li></ul> </div> </div> <div class="span4"> <div class="footer-nav-list"> <h5><a href="/stations">Locate Stations</a></h5> <ul> <li><a href="/stations/#/find/nearest">Search by Location</a></li> <li><a href="/stations/#/find/route">Map a Route</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="span4"> <div class="footer-nav-list"> <h5><a href="/laws">Laws & Incentives</a></h5> <ul> <li><a href="/laws/search">Search</a></li> <li><a href="/laws/fed_summary">Federal</a></li> <li><a href="/laws/state">State</a></li> <li><a href="/laws/key_legislation">Key Legislation</a></li> <li><a href="/laws/utility-incentives">Utility Incentives</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="span4"> <div class="footer-nav-list"> <h5><a href="/tools">Data & Tools</a></h5> <ul> <li><a href="/widgets/">Widgets</a></li> <li><a href="/data_download/">Data Downloads</a></li> <li><a href="https://developer.nrel.gov/docs/transportation">APIs</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="span4"> <div class="footer-nav-list"> <h5><a href="/about.html">About</a></h5> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/vehicle-technologies-office-newsletters">Newsletters</a></li> </ul> <ul><li><a href="/project-assistance">Project Assistance</a></li><li><a href="/contacts">Contacts</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer_details" class="row-fluid"> <div class="span24"> <div class="row-fluid"> <div class="span7"></div> <div class="span10 trs"> <a href="mailto:technicalresponse@icf.com"><img alt="TRS" class="pull-left trs" src="/vite/assets/trs-DCCuckIt.png" /></a> <strong>Need project assistance?</strong> <br> Email the <a href="mailto:technicalresponse@icf.com" class="underline">Technical Response Service</a> or call <a href="tel:800-254-6735" itemprop="telephone" class="underline">800-254-6735</a> </div> </div> <br><br> The AFDC is a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy's <a href="https://energy.gov/eere/vehicles/technology-integration" class="underline">Vehicle Technologies Office</a>. <br><br> <a href="/contacts.html">Contacts</a> | <a href="https://energy.gov/about-us/web-policies">Web Site Policies</a> | <a href="https://energy.gov">U.S. Department of Energy</a> | <a href="https://www.usa.gov">USA.gov</a> </div> </div> </footer> </div> <div id="modal_gallery_enlarge" class="modal modal-gallery modal-gallery-enlarge hide"> <div class="modal-header"> <a class="close" data-dismiss="modal">×</a> <h2 class="modal-title"></h2> </div> <div class="modal-body"><div class="modal-image"></div></div> <div class="modal-footer"> <div class="modal-description"></div> </div> </div> </body> </html>

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Alternative Fuels Data Center: Emissions from Electric Vehicles