Dissecting the Economic Feasibility and Life Cycle Assessment of Battery Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles: A Case Study of India

Authors : Amrut Bhosale, Sachin Mastud, Muzammil Bepari, Ketaki Bhosale

Pages : 55-69

View : 20 | Download : 32

Publication Date : 2024-07-31

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Fuel supplies for conventional vehicles are vulnerable to scarcity, which could ultimately lead to an increase in fuel prices. There has been a realization regarding national energy security as a result of these high gasoline costs, which further increase the overall cost of ownership. Additionally, the emissions from burning conventional fuels make consideration of the already pressing environmental issues necessary. On the other hand, because they have low running costs and no tailpipe emissions, electric vehicles are being considered as a viable alternative to conventional automobiles. But when a vehicle\'s whole life cycle is taken into account, the common-sense belief that electric vehicles are cheaper and emit no emissions may be misleading. Therefore, it is necessary to consider both the economic and environmental elements of whether electric vehicles are a viable alternative to conventional automobiles. In this article, a life cycle analysis—both economic and environmental—between battery-electric and conventional automobiles is presented in the context of India. For financial analysis, a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model is created to show how compatible battery-electric vehicles are. OpenLCA software, which is based on the ReCePi 2016 technique, is used to conduct the environmental analysis for all impact categories at both the mid-point and end-point levels. According to the findings, electric vehicles are more expensive than conventional automobiles in India based on current data and regulations. However, it is shown that electric vehicles have cost parity and can sometimes even become more inexpensive than conventional automobiles by using specific optimizing factors in sensitivity analysis. The results of environmental studies show that battery electric vehicles emit fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs) than do conventional automobiles. Battery electric vehicles, however, had less of an impact in ten of the eighteen impact categories that were examined, and they even have a lower impact score at the end-point level.
Keywords : Life Cycle Analysis, Economic Compatibility, Total cost of Ownership, Electric vehicles in India