Battery production plays a significant role in the overall emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), contributing a substantial portion of their lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
Role of Battery Production in Emissions of PHEVs and HEVs
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Battery Size and Emissions Contribution:
PHEVs have smaller batteries than full battery electric vehicles (BEVs)—approximately one-sixth the size of BEV batteries for a midsized PHEV. Consequently, the emissions from battery production for PHEVs are roughly one-sixth those of BEVs. In contrast, HEVs typically have even smaller or different battery chemistries but still involve emissions from battery manufacturing processes. -
Lifecycle Emissions Comparison:
Lifecycle emissions consider emissions from raw material extraction, battery manufacturing, vehicle production, use phase (fuel or electricity consumption), and end-of-life recycling. Battery production is a significant source of embodied carbon, meaning emissions embedded in the vehicle before it is driven. This embodied carbon is higher for BEVs due to their large batteries but is still a notable part of PHEV and HEV emissions. -
Impact on Emissions Reduction:
Because PHEVs have smaller batteries than BEVs, they have lower emissions from battery production. This smaller “carbon footprint” in the production phase allows PHEVs to achieve substantial lifetime emissions reductions compared to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and HEVs, even with some gasoline use during operation. A PHEV can reduce lifetime emissions by about 46% on average, partly due to reduced battery-related production emissions. -
Grid and Use Phase Dependence:
While battery production emissions are fixed at manufacturing, the operational emissions depend heavily on electricity grid emissions (for PHEVs and BEVs) and the share of electric versus gasoline usage (for PHEVs). The slower the transition to clean electricity, the harder it is to offset the embodied emissions from battery production through usage-phase savings. -
Real-World Charging Behavior Influences Emissions:
PHEVs often do not run in full electric mode as frequently as assumed, which leads to higher operational emissions compared to lab estimates. Since battery production emissions are upfront, real-world use patterns strongly influence how quickly those initial emissions are amortized over the life of the vehicle.
Summary
Battery production constitutes a significant portion of the total lifecycle emissions of PHEVs and HEVs, with PHEVs having lower battery production emissions than BEVs due to smaller battery sizes. While battery manufacturing raises the embodied carbon footprint, the smaller batteries in PHEVs contribute to a lower production-phase emissions burden, making PHEVs more effective at reducing overall emissions compared to full BEVs especially in regions with carbon-intensive electricity grids. The real benefits in emissions reduction depend on how frequently PHEVs are charged and driven in electric mode, as well as ongoing grid decarbonization.
Thus, battery production emissions are a key factor driving the lifecycle emissions profile of PHEVs and HEVs, influencing their overall environmental impact relative to other vehicle types.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-role-does-battery-production-play-in-the-emissions-of-phevs-and-hevs/
