Comparative analysis of life cycle environmental impact between power system of electric and internal combustion engine vehicles
电动与内燃机汽车的动力系统生命周期环境影响对比分析

Life cycle environmental impacts of electric and internal combustion engine vehicles of the same domestic motorcycle type are assessed by building a LCA model through GABI and using CML 2001 model on the basis of inventory data analysis. The assessment results indicate that the life cycle environmental impact of the electric vehicle power system is 60.15% higher than the internal combustion engine vehicles. Through the analysis of recovery phase, power structure and sensitivity, it is discovered that in the recovery phase, the direct emissions of the three environment impacts, acidification, eutrophication and photochemical ozone synthesis, are higher than the environmental benefit. The environmental impact of electric vehicle power system is reduced with the decline of the proportion of the thermal power generation, so it is effective to reduce the environment impacts of the electric vehicle by increasing the proportion of hydro, wind and nuclear power generation in the power system. Weight of the power system is the most sensitive to the environmental impacts of electric vehicle power systems, followed by battery charging efficiency, and the manufacturing phase energy consumption. The impact of the two power systems can be allocated to the whole vehicle in the using phase, and the life cycle environmental impact of electric vehicle is 0.14% lower than the internal combustion engine vehicle. The main environmental impacts are reflected in global warming, acidification and eutrophication.