The long-term environmental benefits of using smaller batteries in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) primarily stem from reduced emissions over the vehicle’s lifecycle and a lower dependence on critical minerals used in battery production.
Environmental Benefits of Smaller Batteries in PHEVs
1. Lower Emissions from Battery Production
PHEVs typically have battery packs that are about one-sixth the size of those in battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Because battery manufacturing is energy-intensive and involves mining critical minerals, smaller batteries lead to significantly lower embodied carbon emissions upfront. This means the environmental cost of producing a PHEV is considerably less compared to a BEV.
2. Reduced Lifetime Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Despite using gasoline for a portion of their mileage, PHEVs can reduce lifetime greenhouse gas emissions by around 46% on average in the U.S., outperforming BEVs under current grid conditions. PHEVs achieve this because the smaller battery and hybrid technology allow for considerable emissions reductions while not relying solely on a grid that may still be carbon-intensive. BEVs require a cleaner grid and higher mileage to approach the emissions performance of PHEVs, but they rarely surpass it within typical vehicle lifetimes and mileage considered (up to 125,000 miles).
3. Lower Critical Mineral Demand
Smaller batteries mean less demand for mining of minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which have environmental impacts in extraction and processing. Though some debate exists about the overall sustainability of mineral supply, using smaller batteries in PHEVs reduces the strain on these resources, contributing positively to material efficiency and potentially lowering environmental degradation associated with mining.
4. Flexibility with Renewable Energy Integration
PHEVs can be charged using renewable energy sources when available, further lowering their environmental footprint during the use phase. This flexibility enhances their role in emissions reduction, especially in regions where renewable electricity adoption is growing.
Summary
Using smaller batteries in PHEVs yields long-term environmental benefits by:
- Decreasing the carbon footprint of battery production due to smaller battery size.
- Achieving significant lifecycle emissions reductions even with partial gasoline use, outperforming BEVs under many current grid conditions.
- Reducing dependency on critical mineral extraction, promoting material efficiency.
- Allowing integration with renewable energy for charging, thus lowering operational emissions further.
These factors make PHEVs with smaller batteries a more environmentally advantageous option over BEVs in the near to medium term, especially while the electricity grid transitions to cleaner sources.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-long-term-environmental-benefits-of-using-smaller-batteries-in-phevs/
