Comparative environmental impacts of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles with Hybrid Vehicles and Electric Vehicles in China—Based on Life Cycle Assessment

Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, Baoding, China.

Email: 2991246257@qq.com

Abstract

In China, the growth of new energy vehicles is especially rapid and the explosive growth of the automobile brought an increasing impact on the environment. This paper selected Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles of the same model of BYD as the object. We established a Life Cycle Assessment with GaBi6 software and CML2001 model. The results show that in the whole life cycle, the influences of ADP, GWP and ODP of Electric Vehicles are less than that of Hybrid Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles. The impact of Electric Vehicles are 39%, 50%, and 4% of the Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles and the Hybrid Vehicles’ impact are 65%, 78% and 85% of the Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles. Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Vehicles have a clear improvement in these three types of impacts. The comparison results of AP, EP, FAETP, MAETP and POCP show that the potential impact of Electric Vehicles is greater than that of Hybrid Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles. At present, improving production technology and reducing the consumption of energy during production phase are effective measures to reduce the environmental impact of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles and Hybrid Vehicles of China.