Decarbonizing road transport by 2050: Zero-emission pathways for passenger vehicles

The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and the ICCT, but do not necessarily reflect the views of individual members of the ZEV TC. [...] Life-cycle emissions from vehicles Vehicle life-cycle GHG emissions refers to those emissions produced in the manufacture, maintenance, and disposal of a vehicle, and in the production and combustion of the fuel that powers it. [...] For battery and hydrogen fuel-cell EVs registered in the year 2021, Figure 1 includes the effect of the gradual “greening” of global electricity and hydrogen production over the period 2021–2038 on the GHG emissions of battery and fuel-cell EVs over their lifetime. [...] Life-cycle GHG emissions (100-year GWP, in g CO2 eq./MJ) of the average fossil and biogenic gasoline, diesel, and natural gas blends, grid electricity, and hydrogen mix in China, Europe (EU27+UK), India, and the United States during the 15–18 year lifetime of cars registered in 2021 and in 2030, and a car sales-weighted “global” average of these regions. [...] GHG emissions (100-year GWP, in t CO2 eq.) of the manufacture of the battery, hydrogen (H2) tank, and the rest of the vehicle (including recycling) of average new medium-size passenger cars of different powertrain types registered in China, Europe (EU27+UK), India, and the United States in 2021 and in 2030, and a car sales-weighted “global” average of these regions.