Study of popularization policy of clean energy vehicles using life cycle assessment

Clean energy vehicles (CEVs) produce less CO₂ emissions in the utilization phase and reduce total emissions overall. However, the ratio of emissions in the manufacturing phase becomes larger. This paper evaluates CEVs and compares the popularization policies used to promote CEVs using life cycle assessment (LCA). The authors use major criteria: life cycle CO₂ emissions to be considered not only in the utilization phase but also in the manufacturing phase. In the simulation of the LCCO₂ of CEVs, total driving distances affect total CO₂ emissions. The LCCO₂ of EVs decrease as total driving distance increases compared with other vehicles. The simulation results show that the LCCO₂ of EVs are the lowest when the CEVs are driven for more than 35,700 km in Japan, more than 40,300 km in France, more than 78,400 km in the Netherlands, more than 72,200 km in Germany, more than 38,400 km in Iceland, more than 81,400 km in United States, more than 124,000 km in China and more than 193,000 km in India. This is caused by the differences between the CO₂ emission consumption rates, since electrical power sources are different. The simulation results suggest that EVs are not always best suited for all drivers considered LCCO₂ including the manufacturing phase, and the LCCO₂ of vehicles are affected by total driving distances and the situation of countries´ electric power sources.