Latest news with #ICCT
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
EVs Pay Off Their Carbon Debt in Just 2 Years
EVs Pay Off Their Carbon Debt in Just 2 Years | BEV Lifecycle Benefits originally appeared on Autoblog. BEVs in the US: The Data Behind the Hype Recent studies confirm that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) deliver a real, measurable climate benefit over gasoline cars—when you look at the full lifecycle. After accounting for all emissions (from manufacturing and battery production to driving and disposal), a U.S.–sold BEV generates 41–71% lower total greenhouse-gas emissions than a comparable gas car, depending on your region's power-grid cleanliness. You can explore these differences yourself with the Union of Concerned Scientists' EV Emissions Tool. As the U.S. electric grid rapidly shifts toward solar, wind, and other renewables documented in the EPA's eGRID database, that climate advantage only grows. Understanding the Lifecycle Manufacturing a BEV carries more carbon upfront — roughly 40% more 'embedded' emissions than building a similar internal-combustion vehicle, thanks largely to battery production and material sourcing. But that carbon 'debt' is normally paid off within the first 25,000–41,000 miles on the road—about two years of typical driving — according to the ICCT's lifecycle analysis. After break-even, every additional mile driven deepens the BEV's lifetime emissions lead. Once on the road, BEVs enjoy zero tailpipe emissions, improving urban air quality and sparing drivers from gasoline pollution. Charging emissions depend on your local energy mix: in states with cleaner grids—think California, New York, or Oregon—driving an EV matches or beats even the most efficient gasoline models. In fact, as of 2025, 93% of Americans live in areas where powering an EV produces fewer emissions than a 50+ MPG hybrid, as shown by the DOE's AFDC calculator. Why BEVs Keep Getting Cleaner The grid is cleaning up fast: renewables supply an ever-growing share of U.S. electricity while coal falls to historic lows. At the same time, advanced battery plants are increasingly powered by renewables, and shifting supply chains further cut upstream emissions. Battery-recycling systems are also scaling up — part of the Department of Energy's push on battery materials and recycling — which will shrink the footprint of future BEVs even This Means for Drivers and Policymakers For consumers, the takeaway is clear: a new BEV will become a net climate benefit within its first couple of years on the road, and low energy-per-mile costs plus reduced maintenance mean real savings, too. For policy planners, accelerating clean-energy deployment, expanding charging infrastructure, and supporting local battery supply and recycling will only widen the advantage BEVs hold over gas cars. Ultimately, in the U.S. today, buying a battery-electric vehicle isn't just choosing a cleaner option—it's choosing one that gets cleaner every month the grid decarbonizes. EVs Pay Off Their Carbon Debt in Just 2 Years | BEV Lifecycle Benefits first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
3 Electric Vehicle Leaders Emerge Amid US Retreat
Entrance to Latimer House and Banner Announcing TTDS 2025 In the rolling green Buckinghamshire countryside, about 30 miles outside of London, sits an idyllic English manor home shrouded in intrigue. The Latimer House is the place where captured high-ranking German officers unwittingly gave up their secrets like those pertaining to Hitler's V-1 and 2-2 rockets to ingenious British and American operatives near the end of the Second World War. The house, it was said, had ears. In June, the house made history again, albeit this time with no intrigue. It was the venue for the annual Transatlantic Transportation Decarbonization Summit hosted by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). Leading policymakers and analysts gathered to explore global developments in the transition to clean transportation technologies and systems. As someone who spent decades working on vehicle emission policies, including leading the development of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's most ambitious vehicle emissions standards to my current role as an advisor to philanthropies—I've seen first-hand how smart public policy can spark innovation and drive markets. But as other countries are deploying long term strategies, the US is dismantling its own. While China, the EU and the United States and get outsized attention, we learned at the ICCT hosted summit how three other countries are showing clean transportation success takes many forms: Chile's electric bus revolution, the United Kingdom's long range regulatory certainty, and Norway's rapid Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption. Their approaches show how countries can win the race to lead the new clean energy sector that is set to triple to more than $2 trillion in the coming decade. Chile's Electric Bus Revolution Chile's delegation to the ICCT's summit shared their ambitious effort to transform urban transit. The city of Santiago expects nearly 4,500 electric buses will be in operation by the end of 2025, representing up 70% of its fleet. That's more than any major city for electric public transport outside of China. The environmental and public health benefits are substantial: One electric bus prevents the equivalent emissions from 33 gasoline vehicles, with 70% lower operating costs compared to diesel buses. Chile's experience goes deeper with hydrogen powered buses. The country's National Green Hydrogen Strategy projects $5 billion in renewable energy investments by 2025, positioning Chile as a leading global producer and exporter of green hydrogen by 2030. This creates a virtuous cycle where clean transportation adoption supports renewable energy deployment, which in turn reduces the entire transport system's carbon intensity. Chile proves that emerging economies don't need to follow the polluting technologies of the past. They can leapfrog and thrive. Regulatory Certainty in the United Kingdom The UK hosted this summit, showing how smart regulation can accelerate market transformation. The country's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate requires 80% of new cars to be zero emissions by 2030 and 100% by 2035. This long-range timeline gives automakers and investors a roadmap and has helped to boost EV sales. In 2024, 28% of new vehicles sold were battery electric and plug in electric, just ahead of California's 25%. The UK's experience validates a key insight from my EPA years: Long range policy certainty drives business investment. This clarity has attracted substantial private investment in charging infrastructure, with £500 million committed to support public charging through 2025, including fast chargers along strategic transport corridors. While other European markets have struggled with EV sales or considered rolling back clean transport policies, the UK has resisted industry calls for rollbacks and its committed to its long range policies. A Fully Mobilized Transition in Norway Norway shared the latest on their remarkable progress on vehicle electrification. Last year, around 90% of new passenger cars sold in Norway were fully electric; EVs now account for more than 28% of all cars on the road, and expectations are that the number will grow to 50% in the coming years. By comparison, in China only one in ten vehicles on the road are electric as of 2024. What's behind that stunning success? Comprehensive policy support, including significant tax incentives and extensive charging infrastructure development. In 2016 Norway's Parliament decided on a national goal that all new cars sold by 2025 should be ZEVs and the country mobilized policy to achieve that target. In concert, Norway's charging infrastructure has expanded dramatically, with more than 25,000 public EV charging points; the average Norwegian can find a rapid charge point within 30 miles. Norwegian consumers have embraced EVs thanks in large part to this network of interconnected policy. Consumers and corporate customers enjoy benefits including exemption from high purchase taxes, toll charges, permission to use transit lanes, free access to ferries, and even free parking in certain urban spaces. This had made Norway not only a clean transportation leader but a global testbed for next-generation EV technologies, smart grid integration, and vehicle-to-grid systems, with major automakers using the Norwegian market to pilot innovative electric mobility solutions. A Different Direction for the U.S. And then there is the United States. The contrast between these successes and the current U.S. trajectory couldn't be starker. While others are building momentum through policy certainty and sustained investment, America has embarked on what the EPA calls 'the biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history,' with proposed rollbacks impacting dozens of rules from emissions limits for power plants and vehicles to air quality standards. As part of its broader efforts to repeal the successful Inflation Reduction Act, the administration halted distribution of unspent funds for vehicle charging stations from a $5 billion fund and called for ending the California waiver to enforce more ambitious zero-emission vehicle rules. Most recently, Congress passed the administration's multitrillion-dollar bill that eliminates federal tax incentives for consumers who buy or lease EVs. This upends hundreds of billions in private investments: Markets thrive on certainty, and uncertainty kills investment. While other nations create the stable policy frameworks that attract private capital and accelerate innovation, the U.S. is dismantling the very policies that drove American leadership in clean transportation technology. The irony is profound. Our country is retreating from the lucrative global clean transportation race it helped start and, for a while at least, looked like it could win. Lessons for Global Transition to Clean Transportation Chile, the UK, and Norway offer distinct yet complementary approaches to the clean transportation transition, but the common thread is simple: Policy drives markets, certainty attracts capital, and goals galvanize industries to act, and commitment inspires innovation. They're not waiting for perfect technology or ideal economic conditions. They're creating market conditions that accelerate innovation. This approach is the future of global clean transportation. The US once helped lead this movement. It still has the talent, the capital, and the technology to do so again. But it can't lead by retreating. The rest of the world isn't waiting. At Latimer House, decades ago, secrets shaped the course of a world war. Today, it's not secrets we need, but clarity and consistency. The clearest message from this global summit? The clean transportation future is already arriving—and those who hesitate risk being left behind. May today's policymakers be listening.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Why India's e-truck incentive scheme can be a gamechanger for the economy and the environment
On July 11, 2025, when the Ministry of Heavy Industries officially released guidelines for subsidies under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, it marked a historic moment for India's transport sector. For the first time, electric trucks (e-trucks) are being supported by specific incentives at the national level. With a budget allocation of ₹500 crore aimed at supporting around 5,500 e-trucks, this initiative provides a critical push to decarbonize India's freight sector—one of the largest and fastest-growing sources of emissions in the country. Under the new guidelines, medium- and heavy-duty trucks (MHDTs), which are those with a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes and above, are eligible for subsidies of ₹5,000 per kWh of battery capacity. These subsidies are capped between ₹2.7 lakh and ₹9.6 lakh per vehicle, depending on the different categories of gross vehicle weight, and provide meaningful cost relief for early adopters. Until now, national-level schemes such as FAME I and FAME II have largely focused on electric passenger vehicles including private two- and three-wheelers and public buses. While there was some provision for the electrification of smaller light commercial vehicles, it was limited. Furthermore, earlier initiatives like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission primarily targeted buses and urban transport infrastructure. By including e-trucks, the PM E-DRIVE scheme is recognizing the critical role of goods movement in India's transport ecosystem. Here's why this shift can be a gamechanger both economically and environmentally. 1. Accelerated climate action and improved air quality E-trucks are central to India's climate commitments. Life-cycle assessments have estimated that greenhouse gas emissions from e-trucks are 17 per cent–37 per cent less than from diesel trucks, even with today's power grid. When powered by renewable energy, these life-cycle emissions drop by as much as 85 per cent–88 per cent. To meet its long-term climate targets—including achieving net-zero emissions by 2070—analysis by the ICCT projects that India will need 100 per cent zero-emission trucks in new sales by mid-century. Moreover, as e-trucks produce no tailpipe emissions, they are vital for improving air quality in freight hotspots such as ports, warehouses, logistics hubs, and industrial clusters. This leads to better public health outcomes for communities living near these zones. 2. Reduced operating costs and unlocking industrial use cases Although e-trucks currently cost 2 to 3.5 times more to purchase than equivalent diesel trucks, their lower operating and maintenance costs help narrow the total cost of ownership gap to about 1.2–1.5 times. The PM E-DRIVE subsidies help bridge this gap even further and make e-trucks more attractive to fleet operators. Industries such as cement, steel, and port logistics offer promising early-adopter use cases. JK Lakshmi Cement, UltraTech Cement, JSW Cement, Tata Steel, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust have already begun piloting e-truck deployments for closed-loop freight movement. With effective charging infrastructure and strategic deployment, these pilots can succeed in demonstrating economic and operational viability. 3. Strengthened domestic manufacturing and supporting innovation To qualify for subsidies, e-truck models must meet phased manufacturing program (PMP) guidelines that promote indigenous production of key components like battery packs, battery management system (BMS), motors, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, converters, and controllers. When combined with the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes for automotive components and advanced battery cells launched in 2021, this could substantially boost India's e-truck manufacturing ecosystem. India is the world's third-largest trucking market and the seventh-largest truck exporter. As global markets transition to electric freight, domestic capacity building will be essential to maintain India's competitiveness, create jobs, and ensure long-term value creation. 4. Improved logistics efficiency and reduced fuel dependency In recent years, India's logistics costs were estimated at around 14 per cent of gross domestic product—higher than the global average. About 70 per cent of freight moves via road, and fuel expenses are a substantial share of transport costs. By reducing fuel dependency, e-trucks can improve logistics cost as a share of gross domestic product and contribute to energy security. Moreover, transport contributes 14 per cent to India's total greenhouse gas emissions, and MHDTs are 40 per cent of that share. Electrifying this segment is therefore not just economically beneficial but also an environmental imperative. The PM E-DRIVE scheme is a vital first step in transitioning India's trucking sector towards a clean and atma-nirbhar (self-reliant) future. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has now addressed this long-overlooked segment and laid the foundation for systemic change. And it is only the beginning. For the transition to scale, the next frontiers include investing in nationwide charging infrastructure, facilitating access to affordable financing for fleet operators, and establishing long-term regulatory pathways. An important complementary step would be a swift rollout of the proposed fuel efficiency standards for MHDTs by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, as such standards help level the playing field and drive faster adoption. The question is no longer if India will electrify its trucking fleet, but how fast it can lead the global charge. With the right mix of policies, industry collaboration, and public investment, India can set a benchmark for sustainable freight in the 21st century.
Auto Express
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Hydrogen cars could soon be greener than EVs
Battery electric cars have been pushed forward as the sustainable vehicles of the future, with EVs now accounting for one in five UK car sales. However, a new study has found that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have the potential to be just as sustainable as their battery powered counterparts, if not more so. Advertisement - Article continues below The European International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has released an update to its report into EV sales in the EU. The report concludes that electric cars emit 73 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions over a vehicle's typical life cycle of 20 years than those powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE). This advantage rises to 78 per cent if the cars are powered by renewable electricity. The ICCT's research also found that hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) running on today's commercially available natural gas-based hydrogen typically output just 26 per cent fewer emissions than ICE equivalents. The surprise comes in the findings that swapping a fuel cell car over to hydrogen created with renewable energy could improve things dramatically. While sustainable hydrogen of this type isn't widely available yet, the fuel could see FCEVs give off 79 per cent fewer emissions over the course of their lifespans than the ICE equivalent. That is 1 per cent better than the ICCT figure for the advantage of EVs running on renewable electricity. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Natural gas-based hydrogen costs around £12 per kilo at the moment so it's likely that hydrogen produced with electricity from renewable sources would be prohibitively expensive, unless production costs can be lowered. Now, in case you're scratching your head as to why we're insinuating that EVs or FCEVs generate any emissions at all, it's important to remember that manufacturing an electric or hydrogen car actually produces far greater quantities of carbon dioxide than the equivalent ICE car. The ICCT says EVs, for example, tend to break even after an average of 17,000km (10,500 miles) of driving - making up for their higher emissions in the production phase with lower emissions in the use phase. The lifetime emissions of EVs are improving. In 2021, the ICCT projected that electric cars would give off 24 per cent more carbon dioxide and equivalent gasses than they do today. This signifies how improvements in technology and decarbonisation of manufacturing are making electric cars an ever-greener proposition compared with ICE vehicles. If you're wondering, hybrid cars are projected to emit anything between 20 and 30 per cent fewer carbon dioxide equivalents than ICE cars over the course of their lives, with plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) being towards the top end of that scale. It's worth pointing out that the ICCT utilises official manufacturer figures for its analysis, rather than real-life emissions data. This, combined with the fact that not all cars make it to 20 years old, means that figures for FCEVs and EVs may appear somewhat inflated. Nevertheless, this shouldn't override the clear finding that both fuel types offer huge environmental and sustainability benefits compared with internal combustion powertrains. Come and join our WhatsApp channel for the latest car news and reviews... Find a car with the experts Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month! Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month! A three-time Auto Express Family Car of the Year winner, paired with Golf GTI power, is our Deal of the Day for 6 July Car Deal of the Day: Peugeot 208 GT is a sharp supermini for less than £180 a month Car Deal of the Day: Peugeot 208 GT is a sharp supermini for less than £180 a month It may be getting on a bit, but thanks to distinctive styling you really wouldn't know it – Peugeot's 208 is our Deal of the Day for 7 July
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
EVs widen life-cycle emissions gap over combustion cars, new study finds
An increase in sustainable energy in Europe is making battery-electric vehicles substantially cleaner over their life cycles compared with combustion-engine cars, according to a new report from the International Council on Clean Transportation. New BEVs will produce 73 percent fewer CO2 emissions than gasoline-powered cars, the ICCT said in a report July 9. That figure is 24 percent better than a 2021 estimate from the group. In addition to taking advantage of renewable energy for charging and production, BEVs have also become more efficient, Marta Negri, a researcher at the ICCT, said. 'Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,' Negri said in a release. In contrast, combustion-engine-based cars, including full hybrids and plug-in hybrids, have been getting only marginally cleaner in recent years, the group said. Hybrids have life-cycle emissions that are 20 percent lower than gasoline models, while PHEV emissions are 30 percent lower. 'When running on the EU average fuel and electricity mix, only BEVs offer a large-scale reduction in life-cycle GHG emissions,' the report said, referring to greenhouse-gas emissions. Sign up for the Automotive News Europe Focus on Electrification newsletter, a weekly wrap-up of the latest electric vehicle news, including interviews and global EV sales data. The ICCT study considered sales-weighted characteristics of compact cars sold in the EU in 2023 and assumes a life cycle of 20 years. Renewable energy such as solar and wind is expected to make up 56 percent of Europe's mix, an 18-percentage-point gain from 2020, and could be 86 percent by 2045, the ICCT said, citing figures from the European Union. Life-cycle assessment is a way to measure the carbon footprint of a car, from raw materials extraction, component manufacturing, production, energy consumption (including how the energy is produced) and end of life disposal or recycling. Proponents say it is more accurate than current emissions standards, which focus on tailpipe emissions, while critics say life-cycle data can be selectively manipulated. Earlier life-cycle assessment studies 'have repeatedly demonstrated that battery-electric vehicles eliminate tailpipe GHG emissions and represent the most promising pathway for rapidly reducing life-cycle emissions,' the ICCT said, while acknowledging that 'given varying scopes and inconsistent methodological choices, individual LCA studies can yield widely differing and sometimes contradictory results.' Critics of EVs, for example, say that emissions from battery production are often so high that they cannot be offset by zero tailpipe emissions. The ICCT, in its report, acknowledged this claim but said that this 'emission debt' can be offset after 17,000 km of driving. The European Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) are currently working on harmonizing life-cycle assessment measurements. Automakers will be able to voluntarily report their cars' life-cycle emissions starting next year using the commission's methodology. A gasoline car has life-cycle emissions of 235 grams of CO2 per km based on the average European power grid (assuming current mix of renewable and nonrenewable energy), while an EV's emissions are 63 g/km, the ICCT said (see chart, above). Plug-in hybrid emissions are 163 g/km, while full hybrids are 188 g/km. The report argues that electric cars' life-cycle emissions are often overstated because they are based on a static electricity grid mix, rather than assuming that the percentage of renewable energy will continue to increase. In addition, a shorter life-cycle assumption (less than 20 years) also tends to disadvantage EVs, as does a discrepancy between as-tested and real-world usage — for example, in-car monitoring has found that PHEV emissions are up to 3.5 times higher than tested, because owners do not regularly charge the batteries. If these factors are not considered, the ICCT said, life-cycle emissions of BEVs can be up to 64 percent higher. 'Under such conditions, BEVs appear to have emissions levels comparable to PHEVs,' the report said. Other findings of the study: Production and recycling emissions were roughly equivalent across fuel types, ranging from 6.5 metric tons for BEVs to 7.9 tons for PHEVs (because of their complexity). Battery production had emissions of 3.9 tons of CO2 for BEVs and 1.0 ton for PHEVs. Maintenance: BEVs had emissions of 4 g/km (largely because they need fewer consumable items such as spark plugs or belts), while diesel maintenance was 7 g/km (due in part to the need for urea in exhaust treatment) and gasoline cars had maintenance emissions of 6 g/km. Fuel-cell EVs have the potential to reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 79 percent, but only if they use hydrogen that is processed using renewable electricity.
