Relative Assessment on E-Vehicle Indirect Carbon Emissions and Emission Control Strategies for Existing Automotive Fleet

Abstract

Zero emission claims by most of the electric vehicle manufacturers have triggered the popularity of electric vehicles among industrial and academic researchers. But it is a fact that the zero emission claims of electric vehicles are not valid for developing countries, where nonrenewable energy sources are the dominant form of electricity generation. The introduction of electric vehicles in countries that depend on conventional energy sources for electricity generation will only shift the threat of increasing emissions from the operations stage to the energy generation stage. This article compares an assessment of the energy mix of one developing country, India, which relies on fossil fuel for energy generation, and one developed country, France, which relies on nuclear fuel, which is a non-greenhouse gas emitting energy source. Equivalent carbon emissions from electric vehicles for both countries are calculated and compared with emissions from fossil fuel-based vehicles. The results of this study show that the introduction of electric vehicles will increase overall carbon emissions in countries relying on conventional fossil fuels for power generation. By conducting reverse calculations, the study suggests that energy mix requirements need to be met before introducing electric vehicles to ensure a 50-percent reduction of overall emissions. Post-treatment emission control strategies for existing fossil fuel-based vehicles are discussed and a modeling study is performed for the development of a novel microwave-based regeneration system.