Cited by 411Electric Vehicles and InfrastructureIntegrated Energy Systems OptimizationEnergy, Environment, and Transportation Policies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 56 of the 56 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 14 of the 63 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Net emission reductions from electric cars and heat pumps in 59 world regions over time

Open access

Abstract

Electrification of passenger road transport and household heating features prominently in current and planned policy frameworks to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. However, since electricity generation involves using fossil fuels, it is not established where and when the replacement of fossil fuel-based technologies by electric cars and heat pumps can effectively reduce overall emissions. Could electrification policy backfire by promoting their diffusion before electricity is decarbonised? Here, we analyse current and future emissions trade-offs in 59 world regions with heterogeneous households, by combining forward-looking integrated assessment model simulations with bottom-up life-cycle assessment. We show that already under current carbon intensities of electricity generation, electric cars and heat pumps are less emission-intensive than fossil fuel-based alternatives in 53 world regions, representing 95% of global transport and heating demand. Even if future end-use electrification is not matched by rapid power sector decarbonisation, it likely avoids emissions in almost all world regions.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/s41893-020-0488-7

Cites

56 of 56 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

27 Own result · 12 No full text of the sources · 12 Own interpretation · 11 No basis given · 10 Own method · 9 Sources not found · 7 Partly supported · 4 Couldn’t confirm · 1 Supported so far · 1 Not checked yet · accuracy not yet measured

Verify all 2 references — free account

Show all 49 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 35
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 13
45 of 45
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The spatial resolution of 59 world regions is considerably higher than any previous forward-looking life-cycle study of electric vehicles or heat pumps.

    “Our analysis disaggregates global demand into 59 world regions, a spatial resolution which is considerably higher than in any previous forward-looking life-cycle study of EVs or HPs.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The structure of all sales remains distributed over time; people would not suddenly all buy economic small engine cars.

    “While the mean efficiencies in each region can change over time, we assumed that the structure of all sales remains distributed, i.e. that people would not suddenly all buy economic small engine cars.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The average insulation efficiency of buildings gradually increases over time.

    “For the heating sector, we furthermore assumed that the average insulation efficiency of buildings gradually increases over time (see Supplementary Methods 3).”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Agents make comparisons between technology options that they individually see as available in their respective national markets, structured by pair-wise comparisons of distributed preferences.

    “We assume that agents make comparisons between technology options that they individually see as available in their respective national markets, which we structure by pair-wise comparisons of distributed preferences.”
4 of 4

Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 12

  1. Energy Agenda—Towards a Low-Carbon Energy Supply (Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, 2017); https://go.nature.com/385jsT9
  2. Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources—Analysis of the Final Compromise Text with a View to Agreement (Council of the European Union, 2018); https://go.nature.com/37XxTbO
  3. McGee, P. Electric cars’ green image blackens beneath the bonnet. Financial Times (8 November 2017); https://go.nature.com/3cf8YUf
  4. Sinn, H.-W. Are electric vehicles really so climate friendly? The Guardian (25 November 2019); https://go.nature.com/396bqup
  5. Cox, B., Mutel, C. L., Bauer, C., Mendoza Beltran, A. & van Vuuren, D. P. Uncertain environmental footprint of current and future battery electric vehicles. Environ. Sci. Technol. 52, 4989–4995 (2018). · DOI · Paper page
  6. Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends—1975 Through 2014 (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2018); https://go.nature.com/2HXxrja
  7. Solid and Gaseous Bioenergy Pathways: Input Values and GHG Emissions (Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, 2014); https://go.nature.com/397sRLk
  8. Well-to-Wheels Analysis of Future Automotive Fuels and Powertrains in the European Context (Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, 2014); https://go.nature.com/394f2xd
  9. Upstream Emissions of Fossil Fuel Feedstocks for Transport Fuels Consumed in the European Union (International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), 2014); https://go.nature.com/3cd7Lgp
  10. Knobloch, F., Mercure, J.-F., Pollitt, H., Chewpreecha, U. & Lewney, R. in Technical Study on the Macroeconomics of Energy and Climate Policies (European Commission, DG Energy, 2017); https://go.nature.com/3cdndJl
  11. Cambridge Econometrics in Final Report for the European Commission (DG Energy, 2013); https://go.nature.com/2PvVFoK
  12. E3ME Manual, Version 6 (Cambridge Econometrics, 2014); https://go.nature.com/2T1FIsO

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Metadata

Authors
Knobloch, F., Hanssen, S. V., Lam, A., Pollitt, H., Salas, P., Chewpreecha, U., Huijbregts, M. A. J., & Mercure, J.-F.
Affiliations
  • Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
  • University of Macau (MO)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Cambridge Econometrics (United Kingdom) (GB)
Corresponding author
Knobloch, Florian
Venue
Nature Sustainability
Published
2020-03-23
Volume
3
Issue
6
Pages
437-447
ISSN
2398-9629 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3006678403
Cited by
407
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 64 · 2025: 73 · 2024: 67 · 2023: 80 · 2022: 63 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 20
FWCI
17.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Sustainability (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Open Research Exeter (University of Exeter) (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • European Commission (647224, HORIZON2020, 689150)
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K007254/1, EP/N002504/1)
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ES/N013174/1)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Integrated Energy Systems Optimization
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Energy, Environment, and Transportation Policies
Keywords
electric vehicles, heat pumps, greenhouse gas emissions, power sector decarbonization, transport decarbonization, household heating, electrification policy, life cycle assessment, integrated assessment models

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