Efforts to reduce the emissions of the automotive sector are critical to reaching net-zero global emissions by 2050. To reach this goal, the automotive industry will have to develop technologies to reduce the demand for fuels and to reduce the emissions of manufacturing processes. However, the complexity of today's vehicle technologies increases the risk of unexpected effects. To ensure that these efforts are effective, policy instruments should be technology-neutral and adopt a life cycle approach to GHG emissions.
The global warming potential of a vehicle is measured as the g CO2-equivalent per kilometer travelled. This is based on the weighted average of emissions from various modes of driving. However, it is important to note that the global warming potential of the automobile fleet is largely determined by the fuels and materials used in the production process. The material emissions of the automobile fleet are projected to increase from 18 percent of life cycle emissions today to over 60 percent by 2040. However, these emissions can be reduced cost-effectively by adopting new technologies and increasing recycling of materials.
In order to reduce the emissions of the automobile fleet, a combination of electrification and renewable fuels is needed. However, these two technologies will not reduce emissions to near-zero levels until 2050. Various forms of electrification gradually reduce the demand for fuels. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have the potential to reduce the demand for fuels and to enable the automotive sector to achieve more ambitious climate goals. These technologies are expected to continue to develop and increase in popularity. Click on this page to learn more about this company.
Currently, the automotive industry has focused on electrifying the powertrains of vehicles. This strategy is believed to be the most effective route to reduce GHG emissions. However, it is unclear whether it will result in net-zero vehicles by 2050. In addition to electrification, more renewable fuels are needed to reach climate neutrality.
Currently, the European Commission (EC) is proposing revisions of automotive CO2 emission legislation by June 2021. These revisions aim to ensure that there is a clear pathway towards zero-emission mobility from 2025. This includes a focus on renewable fuels and a clear definition of zero-emission vehicles. However, current policy instruments are not technology-neutral and tend to favor electrification over renewable fuels.
Several public policy instruments are in place to encourage the market share of BEVs and to promote renewable fuels. These policies include the Green Deal, which aims to increase the value given to the sustainable use of resources and natural ecosystems. They also encourage the market share of BEVs by granting super credits to these vehicles during the phase-in of the 95 g/km CO2 limit. These super credits, however, are set to decline in 2021 and in 2022. The rate of reduction in the electricity mix in the EU is not fast enough to allow the industry to reach a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission level by 2050.
These policies are inadequate to address the climate impacts of the automotive sector. To achieve net-zero GHG emissions, policy instruments should adopt a life cycle approach to GHG emission reduction. In addition, they should encourage the development of new technologies that reduce process emissions, such as fuel cell vehicles. This will require a significant overhaul of the automotive manufacturing ecosystem. You can get more enlightened on this topic by reading here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency.