es5045387_si_001.pdf (1.2 MB)
Life Cycle Air Emissions Impacts and Ownership Costs of Light-Duty Vehicles Using Natural Gas As a Primary Energy Source
journal contribution
posted on 2015-04-21, 00:00 authored by Jason M. Luk, Bradley
A. Saville, Heather
L. MacLeanThis paper aims to
comprehensively distinguish among the merits
of different vehicles using a common primary energy source. In this
study, we consider compressed natural gas (CNG) use directly in conventional
vehicles (CV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and natural gas-derived
electricity (NG-e) use in plug-in battery electric vehicles (BEV).
This study evaluates the incremental life cycle air emissions (climate
change and human health) impacts and life cycle ownership costs of
non-plug-in (CV and HEV) and plug-in light-duty vehicles. Replacing
a gasoline CV with a CNG CV, or a CNG CV with a CNG HEV, can provide
life cycle air emissions impact benefits without increasing ownership
costs; however, the NG-e BEV will likely increase costs (90% confidence
interval: $1000 to $31 000 incremental cost per vehicle lifetime).
Furthermore, eliminating HEV tailpipe emissions via plug-in vehicles
has an insignificant incremental benefit, due to high uncertainties,
with emissions cost benefits between −$1000 and $2000. Vehicle
criteria air contaminants are a relatively minor contributor to life
cycle air emissions impacts because of strict vehicle emissions standards.
Therefore, policies should focus on adoption of plug-in vehicles in
nonattainment regions, because CNG vehicles are likely more cost-effective
at providing overall life cycle air emissions impact benefits.