Source: Energy & Management Powernews, March 11, 2022
Electric vehicles are the most economical and energy-efficient option for reducing greenhouse gases in Germany - this is the conclusion drawn by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute.
Conventional and new drive technologies for passenger cars have been analyzed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in terms of their cost-effectiveness, life cycle assessment and potential for the new German climate protection targets. In addition, the Karlsruhe-based institute examined how the German automotive industry compares internationally when it comes to new drive technologies.
The results reveal a paradox: Although Germany holds a leading position in patent and trademark applications for sustainable drive technologies. In terms of sales figures, however, there is currently a strong focus on plug-in hybrids, although these represent only a transitional technology.
Electric cars are already the most climate-friendly in the current electricity mix
"Purely electrically powered vehicles are already commercially available on a large scale today and represent the most energy-efficient solution," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Martin Wietschel. He is head of the Competence Center Energy Technologies and Energy Systems. According to the Fraunhofer researchers' calculations, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) already have the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with today's electricity mix. For an electric vehicle purchased in 2020, GHG emissions are cut in half compared to a gasoline-powered vehicle. With an increasing share of renewables in the electricity mix, this advantage will even amount to almost 60% in 2030, the institute clarifies. Even if the climate targets in the power sector are only partially achieved, BEVs and even plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) still perform better than gasoline or diesel vehicles.
The scientists note, however, that plug-in hybrids only contribute to reducing GHG emissions in the short term. The prerequisite, they say, is that they complete a significant portion of their trips electrically (at least 40%). However, since they would also have to run on synthetic fuels in the medium and long term to achieve the climate targets, they should rather be seen as a bridging technology. The researchers also see potential for greenhouse gas savings during vehicle use in other alternative drive technologies. They mention, for example, biofuels from renewable raw materials, hydrogen fuel cells or synthetic, electricity-based fuels (provided that electricity from renewable energies is used for their production).
Market for fuel cell vehicles only from 2030
In its profitability analysis, Fraunhofer ISI sees battery-electric vehicles ahead on balance - both in the short and medium term and in the long term. According to the conclusion, they remain more economical than other alternative drives even if one assumes that the battery will have to be replaced after half of the vehicle's service life.
Because of the high fuel costs, the researchers see synthetic electricity-based fuels as being at a clear disadvantage to internal combustion vehicles today and in the foreseeable future. Like fuel cell vehicles, such vehicles are also hardly available at present. After 2030, Fraunhofer sees a market for fuel cell vehicles in large and heavy vehicles with high range requirements - as a supplement to battery vehicles.
The researchers believe that all of the alternative drive technologies examined still have a high ecological rucksack in the manufacturing process and thus significant GHG reduction potential. In their view, electric cars, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen cars are particularly critical in terms of resource consumption of lithium, cobalt or platinum group metals compared to conventional vehicles. Therefore, according to Fraunhofer, substitution and recycling processes are needed to recover these resources.
The study "Long-term environmental balance and future potential of alternative drive technologies"is available for download from Fraunhofer's website.
Author: Davina Spohn
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