Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions: A Transparent, Dynamic Model By Jim Crump in Collaboration with UH Energy
The threat of global warming resulting from greenhouse gas emissions commands our attention. The transportation sector as a whole comprises approximately 29% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. Light-duty vehicles – passenger cars, SUVs, minivans, pickup trucks - account for a substantial share of transportation sector GHG emissions, approximately 17% of total U.S. GHG emissions.
Government policies and commercial plans supporting EV deployment rely on the claim that the substitution of light-duty EVs (Electric Vehicles) for ICEVs (Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles) would significantly reduce GHG emissions. Can EVs play a transformative role in GHG abatement and climate risk mitigation? To address this question, UH Energy at the University of Houston has sponsored the development of a model comparing lifetime GHG emissions of ICEVs and EVs for two major light duty vehicle categories, passenger cars and pickup trucks.