To: Brumar89 who wrote (69457 ) 4/8/2016 10:23:02 AM From: Brumar89 Respond to Journal of Industrial Ecology: Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of conventional and electric vehicles Journal of Industrial Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00532.xhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jiec.12011/abstract Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles (pages 53–64) Corrigendum to: Hawkins, T. R., B. Singh, G. Majeau-Bettez, and A. H. Strømman. 2012. Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of conventional and electric vehicles. Journal of Industrial Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00532.x Abstract Full Article (HTML) Enhanced Article (HTML) PDF(5617K) PDF(5617K) References Supporting Information Request Permissions . We find that EVs powered by the present European electricity mix offer a 10% to 24% decrease in global warming potential (GWP) relative to conventional diesel or gasoline vehicles assuming lifetimes of 150,000 km. However, EVs exhibit the potential for significant increases in human toxicity, freshwater eco-toxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and metal depletion impacts, largely emanating from the vehicle supply chain . Results are sensitive to assumptions regarding electricity source, use phase energy consumption, vehicle lifetime, and battery replacement schedules. Because production impacts are more significant for EVs than conventional vehicles , assuming a vehicle lifetime of 200,000 km exaggerates the GWP benefits of EVs to 27% to 29% relative to gasoline vehicles or 17% to 20% relative to diesel. An assumption of 100,000 km decreases the benefit of EVs to 9% to 14% with respect to gasoline vehicles and results in impacts indistinguishable from those of a diesel vehicle. Improving the environmental profile of EVs requires engagement around reducing vehicle production supply chain impacts and promoting clean electricity sources in decision making regarding electricity infrastructure.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00532.x Bottom line: More pollution (including GHG's as pollution) is involved in mining, smelting, transporting the materials to produce EV's than conventional vehicles. How much "cleaner" an EV is over it's life cycle depends on the assumed life. Even if you assume a 200K kilometer life, the EV is only "cleaner" by 29%(gasoline) or 20% (diesel) at most. If the life is shorter, the EV advantage over conventional vehicles shrinks to as little as 9 - 14%.
