Assessment of Life Cycle Energy Consumption and Emissions for Conventional and Advanced Powertrain Vehicles

Abstract

In this study, an environmental comparison of hybrid, fuel cell and gasoline passenger vehicles is performed with the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Unlike in a classic LCA, the vehicle cycle and fuel cycle of vehicles have both been modeled to cover vehicles with the full life time.According to the assumptions, the total energy consumption of the hybrid and fuel cell vehicles are respectively 27% and 37% lower than that of the gasoline vehicle. The GHG emission of the hybrid and fuel cell vehicles are respectively 27% and 44% lower than that of the gasoline vehicle. The results of the study show that the FCV is the one that presents the lower LCA energy consumption and GHG emission compared with the HEV.