Battery production plays a significant role in the overall emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), notably contributing much of the embodied carbon before the vehicle is even driven.
Key points regarding battery production emissions in PHEVs:
- Battery manufacturing is a major source of lifecycle emissions in PHEVs. For certain battery chemistries like lithium iron phosphate (LFP), battery manufacturing can account for nearly 50% of total emissions associated with the battery. For nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries, manufacturing accounts for about 15% of total battery emissions, with mineral processing (critical minerals) contributing a large share as well.
- The production of active materials for cathodes (NMC or LFP) and anodes (graphite) contributes substantially to battery lifecycle emissions, approximately 25% for NMC and 15% for LFP batteries.
- Compared to fully battery electric vehicles (BEVs), PHEVs generally have smaller battery packs, meaning a lower embodied carbon footprint from battery production. This smaller battery size leads to a significantly smaller “carbon debt” from manufacturing. As a result, PHEVs can have lower lifetime emissions than BEVs, especially in regions with higher grid emissions or when considering usage patterns where BEVs need to be driven many tens of thousands of miles before overcoming their initial production emissions.
- This “carbon debt” from battery production must be offset by emissions reductions during the vehicle’s use phase, and PHEVs’ smaller batteries and hybrid technology help in reducing total lifecycle emissions more quickly than BEVs under many current conditions.
- Despite PHEVs producing zero direct tailpipe emissions while running in electric mode, the overall emissions advantage depends on how often they are charged and driven electrically. Real-world usage sometimes limits the frequency of electric driving, which is important because battery production emissions are upfront and independent of use.
Overall, battery production is a critical component of the lifecycle emissions profile in PHEVs. While battery manufacturing emissions are significant, the smaller battery capacity of PHEVs compared to BEVs means they start with a lower embodied carbon footprint, which can make PHEVs more favorable than BEVs for emissions reduction in the near term—particularly where electricity grids are still carbon-intensive or when the vehicles are not driven extensively on electric power alone.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-role-does-battery-production-play-in-the-overall-emissions-of-phevs/
