TITLE:
The Carbon Footprint of Electric Vehicles in the United States
AUTHORS:
Michael J. Prival
KEYWORDS:
Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Carbon Dioxide, Marginal Emissions, Marginal Power Source, United States, Coal, Natural Gas, Climate Change
JOURNAL NAME:
Low Carbon Economy,
Vol.14 No.2,
June
30,
2023
ABSTRACT: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) do not themselves
emit greenhouse gases but they may, like other electricity-powered devices,
result in the emission of carbon dioxide due to the burning of fossil fuels to
generate the electricity they use. Determining the amount of carbon dioxide that
results from charging an electric vehicle requires consideration of the power
sources for electricity generation whose use is increased because the vehicle
is being charged. Calculations
based on these marginal power sources show that in the western United States
carbon dioxide emissions caused by operating most, but not all, of the ten
popular BEVs examined are lower than those caused by any hybrid vehicle (HEV).
However, the amount of carbon dioxide attributable to driving a BEV in the East
is similar to or higher than the amount emitted when driving a high-efficiency
hybrid vehicle (HEV).