Lifecycle carbon footprint comparison between internal combustion engine versus electric transit vehicle: A case study in the US

Since transportation accounts for a large portion of a city's overall greenhouse gas emissions, cities are looking to lessen this effect by replacing more internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) with electric vehicles (EVs). In this research, two vehicle models of comparable size from each category were compared using life cycle analysis (ICEV and EV). The ICEV is a Ford Transit van, while the EV is a Ford E-transit van, both of which are supposed to have a lifespan of 150,000 km for comparison. Carbon footprint for both vehicles is examined from cradle-tograve: including raw material production, manufacturing, transportation, operation, and decommissioning. According to the findings, the carbon emissions produced per kilometer by an electric vehicle are considerably lower. The Ford transit van emits 469.1 gCO2-eq/km and the Ford E-transit van emits 363.2 gCO2eq/km during a vehicle's lifetime. The impact of electricity generating in each U.S. states on the carbon footprint of ICEVs and EVs showed that the use of renewable energy sources for power generation would result in a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Lifespan sensitivity analysis with 100000 km and 350000 km indicated that the longer life of a vehicle alters the efficiency balance in favor of an electric vehicle.