Decarbonizing Commercial Vehicles: Life Cycle Assessment of Diesel, Petrol and Electric Trucks

Abstract The electric vehicle (EV) landscape in Malaysia is still trailing behind the more established internal combustion engine industry. However, the promotion of EVs has become an increasing priority for the government, especially after committing to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 at the earliest, as outlined in the 12th Malaysia Plan. Malaysia has set a target of having 1.5 million EVs by 2040, with a notable portion consisting of commercial EVs like buses and trucks. Developing the EV ecosystem and sustainable trucks in Malaysia faces challenges such as high costs and insufficient supporting infrastructure. This study aims to assess the Well-to-wheel life cycle of CO 2 emissions and total cost of ownership (TCO) of diesel trucks (DTs), petrol trucks (PTs), and electric trucks (ETs). The study employs IPCC 2006 guidelines to estimate CO 2 emissions and a TCO assessment method. The results indicate that the average CO2 emissions of ET are 38% lower than those of DT, and 33% lower than PT. Furthermore, the TCO of ET is 30% and 15% higher than that of DT and PT, respectively. Despite the higher cost, the study concludes that ETs display superior performance in terms of CO 2 emission reduction. These findings contribute significantly to the development of policies and knowledge aimed at promoting sustainable trucks, aligning with the country’s net-zero goals.