Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment of Electric Vehicles in Pakistan: Emission Reduction Potential and Policy Insights for Sustainable Mobility

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector contribute significantly to climate change and air pollution in Pakistan. This study analyzes the life cycle emissions of electric and internal combustion vehicles in Pakistan, highlighting unique local factors (such as the energy mix) and filling this research gap. A comparative analysis is conducted between a popular electric vehicle (Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD) and a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (Toyota Corolla Altis Grande 1.8) over their entire lifecycle, including manufacturing, operation, and disposal phases. The study shows that electric vehicles produce 65,383.73 kg CO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> equivalent emissions over their lifetime, compared to 92,917.08 kg CO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> equivalent for ICE vehicles, resulting in a 29.6% reduction in total emissions. The study highlights key factors influencing emissions, such as Pakistan’s energy mix and the emissions generated from battery production and replacements. Challenges to large-scale EV adoption in Pakistan are discussed, including high upfront costs, limited charging infrastructure, and grid capacity constraints. Despite these challenges, EVs offer a promising solution to reduce the country’s carbon footprint, enhance energy security, and improve air quality.