SpringerLink
Log in

Comparing the life cycle Greenhouse Gas emissions from vehicle production in China and the USA: implications for targeting the reduction opportunities

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

China is responsible for around one-quarter of global vehicle production. The associated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions have become a major concern to the industrial sustainable development. With the aim of identifying the opportunities of cutting GHG emissions from China’s automotive industry, this study estimates the life cycle GHG emissions from vehicle production in China and compares the results with the case in the USA from multiple perspectives. The results reveal that the GHG emissions from the production of a standard internal combustion engine-based passenger vehicle in China are around 9.6 ton per vehicle, 54% higher than the US level of 6.2 ton per vehicle. The power-intensive nature of vehicle production and China’s higher GHG emission intensity of power generation are the major reasons behind the difference. Accordingly, total GHG emissions from passenger vehicle production in China were around 173.9 million tons in 2013, accounting for nearly 3% of the GHG emissions from the manufacturing and construction sector. Based on the analysis, it is recommended that China should further optimize the grid mix and reduce the emission intensity of power generation. Besides, emission intensities of steel and aluminum productions should be further reduced through applying energy-efficient technologies and promoting material recycling.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BF:

Blast furnace

BFG:

Blast furnace gas

BOF:

Basic oxygen furnace

CAAM:

China Association of Automobile Manufacturers

CCP:

Consumable components production

COG:

Coke oven gas

EAF:

Electric arc furnace

EV:

Electric vehicle

FCV:

Fuel cell vehicle

GHG:

Greenhouse Gas

HEV:

Hybrid electric vehicle

HVAC:

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning

ICE:

Internal combustion engine

ICEV:

Internal combustion engine vehicle

IEA:

International energy agency

INDCs:

Intended nationally determined contributions

IPCC:

Intergovernmental panel on climate change

LCA:

Life cycle assessment

NBSC:

National Bureau of Statistics of China

NDRC:

National Development and Reform Commission

OCP:

Original components production

OICA:

Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles

PHEV:

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

WTW:

Well-to-Wheel

References

  • Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) (2015) The Greenhouse Gases, regulated emissions, and energy use in transportation model. Chicago University, U.S. greet.es.anl.gov. Accessed March 2016

  • Bauer C, Hofer J, Althaus HJ, Duce AD, Simons A (2015) The environmental performance of current and future passenger vehicles: life cycle assessment based on a novel scenario analysis framework. Appl Energy 157:871–883

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnham A (2012) Updated vehicle specifications in the GREET vehicle-cycle model. Chicago University, U.S. greet.es.anl.gov/publication-update-veh-specs. Accessed March 2016

  • Chen YS (2014) A study on life cycle ecological benefits assessment of automotive parts (unpublished publicly). Ph.D. Academic Dissertation, Hunan University, China, pp 42–48

  • China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) (2016) China Automotive Industry Yearbook 2000–2015. Bei**g, China

  • Chinese Government (2015) Enhanced actions on climate change: China’s intended nationally determined contributions. Bei**g, China. www.sdpc.gov.cn/xwzx/xwfb/201506/t20150630_710204.html. Accessed March 2016

  • Chinese State Council (2012) Planning for the development of the energy-saving and new energy automobile industry (2012–2020). Bei**g, China. www.gov.cn/zwgk/2012-07/09/content_2179032.htm. Accessed September 2016

  • Das S (2000) The life-cycle impacts of aluminum body-in-white automotive material. J Miner Metals Mater Soc 52(8):41–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Das S (2004) A comparative assessment of alternative powertrains and body-in-white materials for advanced technology vehicles. SAE Technical Paper. 01-0573

  • Dhingra R, Das S (2014) Life cycle energy and environmental evaluation of downsized vs. lightweight material automotive engines. J Clean Prod 85:347–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Editorial Board of China Steel Yearbook (2015) China steel yearbook 2015. Metallurgical Industry Press, Bei**g

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenhouse Gas Protocol (2015) What is the difference between direct and indirect emissions. Washington DC, U.S. www.ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools/faq. Accessed March 2016

  • Hao H, Wang H, Yi R (2011a) Hybrid modeling of China’s vehicle ownership and projection through 2050. Energy 36:1351–1361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hao H, Wang H, Ouyang M (2011b) Fuel conservation and GHG (Greenhouse gas) emissions mitigation scenarios for China’s passenger vehicle fleet. Energy 36(11):6520–6528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hao H, Geng Y, Wang H, Ouyang M (2014) Regional disparity of urban passenger transport associated GHG emissions in China: a review. Energy 69:783–793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hao H, Geng Y, Hang W (2016a) GHG emissions from primary aluminum production in China: regional disparity and policy implications. Appl Energy 166:264–272

  • Hao H, Geng Y, Sarkis J (2016b) Carbon footprint of global passenger cars: scenarios through 2050. Energy 101:121–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins TR, Singh B, Majeau-Bettez G, Strømman AH (2013) Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of conventional and electric vehicles. J Ind Ecol 17(1):53–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howell S, Lee H, Heal A (2014) Leapfrogging or stalling out? Electric vehicles in China. HKS Working Paper No. RWP14-035. Harvard University, U.S. ssrn.com/abstract=2493131. Accessed March 2016

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2006) 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Hayama, Japan. www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl. Accessed March 2016

  • Internation Energy Agency (IEA) (2015) CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. Paris, France. www.iea.org/statistics/relateddatabases/co2emissionsfromfuelcombustion/. Accessed March 2016

  • **g R, Cheng JCP, Gan VJL, Woon KS, Lo IMC (2014) Comparison of greenhouse gas emission accounting methods for steel production in China. J Clean Prod 83:165–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim HJ, McMillan C, Keoleian GA, Skerlos SJ (2010) Greenhouse gas emissions payback for lightweighted vehicles using aluminum and high-strength steel. J Ind Ecol 14(6):929–946

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis AM, Kelly JC, Keoleian GA (2014) Vehicle lightweighting vs. electrification: life cycle energy and GHG emissions results for diverse powertrain vehicles. Appl Energy 126:13–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Zhu L (2014) Cost of energy saving and CO2 emissions reduction in China’s iron and steel sector. Appl Energy 130:603–616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin B, Omoju OE, Okonkwo JU (2016) Factors influencing renewable electricity consumption in China. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 55:687–696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma C, Li S, Ge Q (2014) Greenhouse gas emission factors for grid electricity for Chinese provinces. Resour Sci 36(5):1005–1012

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahdizadeh KM, Gholami SMA, Valipour M (2015) Simulation of open-and closed-end border irrigation systems using SIRMOD. Arch Agron Soil Sci 61(7):929–941

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie EC, Durango-Cohen PL (2012) Environmental life-cycle assessment of transit buses with alternative fuel technology. Transp Res Part D Transp Environ 17(1):39–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nanaki EA, Koroneos CJ (2013) Comparative economic and environmental analysis of conventional, hybrid and electric vehicles—the case study of Greece. J Clean Prod 53:261–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBSC) (2016) Annual provincial power generation. Bei**g, China. data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm?cn=C01. Accessed May 2016

  • National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) (2014) Chinese low carbon development and training materials of listing of provincial greenhouse gas. Bei**g, China. qhs.ndrc.gov.cn/gzdt/201403/t20140328_604827.html. Accessed March 2016

  • National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) (2015) 2014 Chinese Regional power grid baseline emission factor. Bei**g, China. cdm.ccchina.gov.cn/zyDetail.aspx?newsId=52507&TId = 160. Accessed March 2016

  • Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA) (2016) Global vehicle production. Paris, France. www.oica.net/. Accessed March 2016

  • Orsi F, Muratori M, Rocco M, Colombo E, Rizzoni G (2016) A multi-dimensional well-to-wheels analysis of passenger vehicles in different regions: primary energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and economic cost. Appl Energy 169:197–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serrenho AC, Mourão ZS, Norman J, Cullen JM, Allwood JM (2016) The influence of UK emissions reduction targets on the emissions of the global steel industry. Resour Conserv Recycl 107:174–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan JL, Burnham A, Wang M (2010) Energy-consumption and carbon-emission analysis of vehicle and component manufacturing. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)

  • Sullivan JL, Burnham A, Wang M (2013) Model for the part manufacturing and vehicle assembly component of the vehicle life cycle inventory. J Ind Ecol 17(1):143–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M (2012a) Sprinkle and trickle irrigation system design using tapered pipes for pressure loss adjusting. J Agric Sci 4(12):125

    Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M (2012b) Comparison of surface irrigation simulation models: full hydrodynamic, zero inertia, kinematic wave. J Agric Sci 4(12):68

    Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M (2016) Optimization of neural networks for precipitation analysis in a humid region to detect drought and wet year alarms. Meteorol Appl 23(1):91–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M, Sefidkouhi MAG, Eslamian S (2015) Surface irrigation simulation models: a review. Int J Hydrol Sci Technol 5(1):51–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang K, Wang C, Lu X, Chen J (2007) Scenario analysis on CO2 emissions reduction potential in China’s iron and steel industry. Energy Policy 35(4):2320–2335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang D, Zamel N, Jiao K, Zhou Y, Yu S, Du Q (2013) Life cycle analysis of internal combustion engine, electric and fuel cell vehicles for China. Energy 59:402–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weng XH (2009) Research about the problems exist in the statistics of comprehensive energy consumption per unit product of coke in China. Metall Econ Manag 2009(4):22–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Wübbeke J, Heroth T (2014) Challenges and political solutions for steel recycling in China. Resour Conserv Recycl 87:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • **a X, Li J, Tian H, Zhou Z, Li H, Tian G (2016) The construction and cost-benefit analysis of end-of-life vehicle disassembly plant: a typical case in China. Clean Technol Environ Policy. doi:10.1007/s10098-016-1185-0

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang N, Huang Q, He L, You X, Wu L (2010) Domestic and international status and development trend of steelmaking compact process. China Metall 4:005

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang D, **gru L, Jianxin Y, Ding N (2014) Carbon footprint analysis of radial tyres of passenger cars. Chin J Popul Resour Environ 24:110–114

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yannopoulos SI, Lyberatos G, Theodossiou N, Li W, Valipour M, Tamburrino A (2015) Evolution of water lifting devices (pumps) over the centuries worldwide. Water 7(9):5031–5060

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zamel N, Li X (2006) Life cycle analysis of vehicles powered by a fuel cell and by internal combustion engine for Canada. J Power Sour 155(2):297–310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao F, Hao H, Liu Z (2016) Technology strategy to meet China’s 5 L/100 km fuel consumption target for passenger vehicles in 2020. Clean Technol Environ Policy 18(1):7–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71403142, 71690241, 71572093), Bei**g Natural Science Foundation (9162008), State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy (ZZ2016-024). The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their reviews and comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Tsinghua University, Bei**g, 100084, China

    Han Hao, Qinyu Qiao, Zongwei Liu & Fuquan Zhao

  2. School of Automobile, Chang’an University, **’an, 710064, China

    Yisong Chen

Authors
  1. Han Hao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qinyu Qiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zongwei Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fuquan Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yisong Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fuquan Zhao.

Appendix: Vehicle specification

Appendix: Vehicle specification

See Table 5.

Table 5 The material consumption of the reference vehicle
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hao, H., Qiao, Q., Liu, Z. et al. Comparing the life cycle Greenhouse Gas emissions from vehicle production in China and the USA: implications for targeting the reduction opportunities. Clean Techn Environ Policy 19, 1509–1522 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1325-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1325-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation