The global warming potential in the “production phase” of electric vehicles is double that of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). “In contrast with ICEVs, almost half of an EV’s life cycle GWP is associated with its production. We estimate the GWP from EV production to be 87 to 95 grams carbon dioxide equivalent per kilometer (g CO2-eq/km), which is roughly twice the 43 g CO2-eq/km associated with ICEV production. Battery production contributes 35% to 41% of the EV production phase GWP, whereas the electric engine contributes 7% to 8%. Other power train components, notably inverters and the passive battery cooling system with their high aluminum content, contribute 16% to 18% of the embodied GWP of EVs.”

The authors of this paper have tried to base their estimates on a typical use scenario, but they realize that conditions vary. They discuss many caveats in their estimate in an effort to be transparent. Read the full paper for details.

See also:

The Chevy Volt, just the latest expensive toy

Does the Chevy Volt produce more CO2 from its battery than from its gasoline engine

Nissan Leaf battery degrades quickly in hot climates

Which Vehicles Are Most Energy Efficient?

Leaf owners in Phoenix noticed that upon full battery charge, their dashboard charge indicator showed a decreasing capacity. According to hybridCARS website range per battery charge has dropped from the advertised 100 miles to as low as 44 miles.

At first Nissan claimed it was a fault of the dashboard gauge, but that proved not to be the case. The lithium ion battery was actually losing charging capacity over time. (See here for a detailed discussion on the physical and chemical processes which cause battery capacity reduction.) Tests show that the battery “ages” more than twice as fast in hot climates compared to cool climates.

Last weekend, a group of Phoenix Leaf owners decided to conduct their own tests. Green Car Report described the test as follows (abridged, see original article for full report):

The test, organized by Leaf owner and electric car advocate Tony Williams, took place over the past weekend in Phoenix, Arizona.

Using twelve different Nissan Leafs with varying amounts of battery capacity bar loss, Williams and his team of volunteers meticulously recorded each car’s state of charge versus distance traveled on a pre-planned route, using the popular third-party GID state of charge meter for added accuracy.

 In order to eliminate as much noise from the data as possible, each driver was given a set of strict test conditions to follow, including no use of air conditioning, and traveling at a pre-set speed where possible.

Moreover, some of the Leafs used in the test exhibited battery capacity loss after two years far greater than Nissan’s own five and ten year battery capacity estimates predicted.

 For Leafs with 11 capacity bars showing instead of the full 12 capacity bars, indicating approximately 15 percent loss in battery capacity since new, ranges of between 73 and 80 miles were recorded, in keeping with the EPA’s official range estimate for the car.

 For the six Leafs with 10 capacity bars showing, an average range from full to empty was recorded of just under 72 miles per charge.

 The worst affected Leaf, with four capacity bars missing, or around 60-65 percent of its original battery capacity remaining, was only capable of driving 59 miles before running out of charge.

The test results certainly vindicate those with lost capacity bars who had insisted their cars were suffering from premature battery aging, but without intervention from Nissan, it will do nothing to calm the fears of Leaf owners in hot climates who have yet to experience any battery capacity loss.

Heat isn’t the only problem suffered by Leaf owners. It seems also that cold weather and running the heater greatly decreases range also.

Consumer Reports tested the Nissan Leaf last year. While CR’s general impression of the vehicle was favorable, they did note these caveats:

“Seen just as a car, we’ve found the Leaf a very pleasant hatchback with quick off-the-line acceleration, a quiet cabin, comfortable ride, and easy access. But there’s an elephant in the room, or actually two elephants: limited range and long charging times.” “Clearly, you can’t easily take it on a long trip, especially an unplanned one, so it may not be the right choice for a single-car household.”

American taxpayers have “invested” $1.4 billion in loan guarantees for the Nissan Leaf. Considering the poor sales record, the demand for electric vehicles appears so far to be only a niche market. The reduced range due to rapid aging of the battery in hot climates could become another embarrassing episode in the green car saga.

See also:

Obama’s Electric car experiment a failure so far

The Chevy Volt, just the latest expensive toy

Does the Chevy Volt produce more CO2 from its battery than from its gasoline engine

Which Vehicles Are Most Energy Efficient?

“No matter how you slice it, the American taxpayer has gotten precious little for the administration’s investment in battery-powered vehicles, in terms of permanent jobs or lower carbon dioxide emissions. There is no market, or not much of one, for vehicles that are less convenient and cost thousands of dollars more than similar-sized gas-powered alternatives — but do not save enough fuel to compensate. The basic theory of the Obama push for electric vehicles — if you build them, customers will come — was a myth. And an expensive one, at that.”

Part of the problem is that electric cars are impractical due to their limited range given the current state of battery technology. We knew that 100 years ago. The vehicle in the photo is the 1911 Baker Electric which could go 50 miles on one battery charge. The GM Volt can go 40 miles on a charge. The Nissan Leaf claims 100 miles on a charge, but that varies from 47 to 138 miles depending on conditions. By the way, hybrid vehicles, first developed in 1916, just make automobiles unnecessarily complex.

Emphasizing the impracticality of electric cars, a story last year about driving a Leaf from San Diego, California, to Tucson, Arizona, found that what is normally an 8-hour drive took a week in a Leaf.

GM is losing money on each Volt they make. They are selling the Volt for about $40,000 (much more expensive than comparable gasoline-power models), but it costs GM $89,000 to manufacture the vehicle according to Reuters.

Sales of the Volt have been weak even though federal agencies (i.e. taxpayers) have been buying or plan to buy them.

Another, related issue is The EPA’s Electric Vehicle Mileage Fraud. The EPA calculates a miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) for electric cars that estimates the amount of fossil fuels which must be burned to create the electricity to charge the batteries of an electric car. In a Forbes article, Warren Meyers shows that “The EPA’s methodology is flawed because it assumes perfect conversion of the potential energy in fossil fuels to electricity, an assumption that violates the second law of thermodynamics. The Department of Energy has a better methodology that computes electric vehicle equivalent mileage based on real world power plant efficiencies and fuel mixes, while also taking into account energy used for refining gasoline for traditional cars. Using this better DOE methodology, we get MPGe’s for electric cars that are barely 1/3 of the EPA figures.”

It seems that the great green hype is more hope than reality. This exercise in crony capitalism and green dreaming demonstrates the incompetence of government in the marketplace.

See also:

Does the Chevy Volt produce more CO2 from its battery than from its gasoline engine

Tax Dollars to Build Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

The Chevy Volt, just the latest expensive toy

Which Vehicles Are Most Energy Efficient?

Last year GM sold 7,671 Volts, their production goal was 10,000. So far this year, GM sold 1,626 Volts (versus 1,154 Nissan Leafs), while their production goal was 60,000.

Though no specific reason for the suspension was given, it may have something to do with damaged Volt batteries causing fires.

According to TorqueNews: “The Chevrolet Volt had a great end to 2011, beating the Nissan Leaf in sales through October, November and December but they weren’t able to keep that momentum going in January 2012, as the Leaf bested the Volt by a margin of 676 to 603. However, with the sales figures for February being announced, the Chevy Volt has claimed the second month of 2012 by a massive margin of 545 units – selling more than double the number of Leafs in February.” 545 units is massive?

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy said that the Volt was costing taxpayers up to $250,000 per car when all subsidies and incentives of its constituent parts were added together.

That’s an expensive golf cart.

See also:

The Chevy Volt, just the latest expensive toy

Does the Chevy Volt produce more CO2 from its battery than from its gasoline engine

Meanwhile, Nissan Motors has sold only 8,000 of its all electric Nissan Leafs worldwide since last December. Maybe that’s because all-electric vehicles are not practical outside an urban environment. Recall a recent story about driving a Leaf from San Diego, California, to Tucson, Arizona. The normally 8-hour drive took a week in a Leaf.

It seems that fuel efficient gasoline-powered cars are still the choice for most car buyers. When considering a new car, one should investigate total energy efficiency, not just gas mileage. For more details on which vehicles are really the most energy efficient, see my post:

Which Vehicles Are Most Energy Efficient. The results my surprise you.

For more background on electric vehicles, see:

The Chevy Volt, just the latest expensive toy

Tax Dollars to Build Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

Does the Chevy Volt produce more CO2 from its battery than from its gasoline engine

Chevy Volt might be less than claimed

ECOtality will use information gathered from Tucson to help plan arrays of chargers in other cities. Phoenix will also get an array of chargers and there will be charging stations along I-10 at Picacho Peak and Casa Grande so that electric vehicles can actually travel between Tucson and Phoenix.

The partnership with Nissan and GM will allow ECOtality to provide home chargers and installation free of cost to purchasers of the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, if the owners sign up with the program.

The Tucson array of chargers will be placed at businesses and other venues. ECOtality president, Don Karner, was somewhat evasive when I asked him at a press conference Friday about the charging cost to vehicle owners. From my understanding of what he said, the businesses will provide the electricity to customers free of charge under the theory that the businesses will get more customers by providing the service. There will be a fee for charging vehicles along I-10, but ECOtality has not yet worked out what that will be.

Electric vehicles were popular in the U.S. about 100 years ago as toys for the wealthy. But they were soon displaced by the much more versatile gasoline-powered vehicles. It remains to be seen whether or not arrays of charging stations will attract customers. It’s like the “Field of Dreams.” If they built it, will customers come?