The Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emission, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model is a full life-cycle model for evaluating the energy and emission impacts of various vehicle and fuel combinations. The first version of the GREET model was released in 1996. Since then, the model has been updated and expanded to include additional vehicle types and fuels. The results below are from GREET Model 1.8d.1. The California grid mix (bars outlined in green) was chosen due to the high renewable energy mix in that state. In contrast, the West Virginia grid mix (bars outlined in black) is primarily coal. Both of these are compared against the average U.S. grid mix for various vehicle technologies.

Well-to-Wheel Emissions for Various Fuels and Vehicle Technologies
Image

Note: H2 = hydrogen; High-T = high-temperature

Supporting Information

Well-to-Wheel Emissions for Various Fuels and Vehicle Technologies
FuelGrams of CO2-Equivalent
per Mile
Vehicle Technology
Gasoline (Today's Vehicle)450Conventional Internal
Combustion Vehicles
Gasoline340
Natural Gas270
Gasoline235Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Natural Gas185
Diesel220
Corn Ethanol (E85)180
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85)90
Gasoline & 2035 U.S. Grid Mix230Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
(power-split, 10-mile electric range)
Gasoline & 2010 WV Grid Mix280
Gasoline 2010 CA Grid Mix232
Gasoline & Ultra-low Carbon Renewable195
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & 2035 U.S. Grid Mix105
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & 2010 WV Grid Mix143
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & 2010 CA Grid Mix91
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & Ultra-low carbon Renewable70
Gasoline & 2035 U.S. Grid Mix270Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
(series, 40-mile electric range)
Gasoline & 2010 WV Grid Mix392
Gasoline & 2010 CA Grid Mix215
Gasoline & Ultra-low Carbon Renewable155
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & 2035 U.S. Grid Mix180
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & 2010 WV Grid Mix300
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & 2010 CA Grid Mix108
Cellulosic Ethanol (E85) & Ultra-low carbon Renewable63
2035 U.S. Grid Mix230Battery Electric Vehicles
(150-mile range)
2010 WV Grid Mix440
2010 CA Grid Mix85
Ultra-low Carbon Renewable0
H2 - Distributed Natural Gas200Fuel Cell
Electric Vehicles
H2 - Coal Gasification w/Sequestration95
H2 - Biomass Gasification37
H2 - Nuclear High-T Electrolysis or Ultra-low Carbon Renewable42

Source: Argonne National Laboratory, GREET Model 1.8d. 1.

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