Complete LCA of battery electric and conventional fuel vehicles for freight trips

Abstract

Estimating emissions savings from alternative vehicular technologies is essential to streamline urban freight transport policy. We estimate freight emissions in the city of Chennai, India using real-world emission factors obtained from on-board emission measurement systems and trip characteristics collected through an establishment survey. India recently enforced Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission standards and both the central and multiple state governments have introduced battery electric vehicle (BEV) policies. To understand potential benefits, we estimate the emission savings with BS-VI vehicles and BEVs for freight delivery. The BS-VI vehicles reduce tailpipe CO emissions by 20.3%, and HC+NO_x emissions by 74.5%. The GHG emission saving in CO₂ equivalents with BEVs is 50.3%, which increase with a greener energy mix, improved transmission and distribution efficiency, cleaner battery production, and more lifetime vehicle kilometres. BS-VI adoption can deliver significant emission reduction until BEVs and charging infrastructure scale up.