A Comparative Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis of BEV, PHEV, HEV and ICEV in Thailand

This research conducts a well-to-wheel (WTW) assessment to analyze greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle (ICEV). To analyze and compare the greenhouse gas emissions of electric vehicles (EVs) with those of traditional vehicles, four car models from different brands were selected within the subcompact passenger car category, featuring a driving power output between 90 and 100 horsepower. The findings highlighted that BEV exhibits a substantial reduction of over 46% in WTW GHG emissions when compared with ICEV. The results further revealed that GHG emissions from the well-to-tank (WTT) process are lowest for ICEV and highest for BEV, with the disparity due to varying fossil fuel consumption across fuel production processes. Contrary, the tank-to-wheel (TTW) process contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions in ICEV and HEV, while it has a minor impact on PHEV, primarily due to gasoline combustion. In addition, the WTW GHG emissions of electric vehicles can be further reduced by increasing the share of renewable energy in the electricity generation mix. These insights hold valuable implications for future research on emissions in the transportation sector and offer a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of carbon neutrality policies in Thailand.