Carbon Content : ICEs VS EVs

An electric vehicle, also called an EV, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion. An electric vehicle may be powered through a collector system by electricity from off-vehicle sources, or may be self-contained with a battery to convert fuel to electricity [5]. In contrast, an internal combustion engine (ICE) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit [6].

There is relatively little controversy surrounding how to measure the carbon content of ICEVs. Tailpipe emissions from gasoline combustion in an internal combustion engine combined with the upstream emissions associated with gasoline production and distribution contribute the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from an ICEV. A reliable range for such lifecycle emissions has been established by a preponderance of studies [1].

By contrast, BEVs present a unique challenge – though the vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, BEVs do rely on regional power plants and grids to charge their batteries. Furthermore, R&D and manufacturing for BEVs relies heavily on a variety of different inputs – such as heavy metal mining and purification, and battery cell manufacture (which includes organic solvents and various chemical processes) – and these inputs generate different adverse environmental impacts as compared with those used in the R&D and manufacturing for ICEVs [1] [2] [4].

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By far one of the more controversial aspects of carbon content for BEVs is the production of the lithium-ion battery pack. In order to determine the impact this has on carbon content for BEVs, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies that analyzed the greenhouse gas emissions generated by lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing [3].

Overall Vehicle manufacturing CO2 Emission

Tailpipe CO2 Emission

The tailpipe CO2 emission illustrates that the ICEs has a majority of carbon content compared with EVs. EVs has no tailpipe CO2 emission because of the machanism of EVs is not emitted the tailpipe emission.

Comparision by Brand manufacturing (g/mi)

The comparision among car brand which has an ev manufacturing shows that all the carbon intensity from ICEs are steady constant and same equivalent. Only Tesla brand has a purely CO2intensity from EVs manufacturing. 

Battery Manufacturing

Although EVs manufacturaing has the same level of carbon content as ICEs but the minor of mineral consumption and carbon content has increased. The solution to make EVs reduce this carbon content is by carbon offset scenario which means to selective the time for charging when the grid is low carbon content level to reduce CO2 emission in indirect way.