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The potential impacts of electric vehicles on air quality in the urban areas of Barcelona and Madrid (Spain)

descriptionPublicationkeyboard_double_arrow_right Article , Journal 01 Dec 2014 Spain Publisher:Elsevier BVJournal:Atmospheric Environment, volume 99, pages 51-63 (issn: 1352-2310,

Authors: Albert Soret; J. M. Baldasano; J. M. Baldasano; Marc Guevara;

doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.09.048

handle: 2117/26561

The potential impacts of electric vehicles on air quality in the urban areas of Barcelona and Madrid (Spain)

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Abstract

This work analyses the potential air quality improvements resulting from three fleet electrification scenarios (similar to 13, 26 and 40%) by replacing conventional vehicles with Electric Battery Vehicles (EBVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs). This study has been performed for the cities of Barcelona and Madrid (Spain), where road transport is the primary emission source. In these urban areas, several air quality problems are present, mainly related to NO2 and particulate matter. The WRF-ARW/HERMESv2/CMAQ model system has been applied at high spatial (1 x 1 km(2)) and temporal (1 h) resolution. The results show that fleet electrification offers a potential for emission abatement, especially related to NO and CO. Regarding the more ambitious scenario (similar to 40% fleet electrification), reductions of 11% and 17% of the total NOx emissions are observed in Barcelona and Madrid respectively. These emissions reductions involve air quality improvements in NO2 maximum hourly values up to 16%: reductions up to 30 and 35 mu g m(-3) in Barcelona and Madrid, respectively. Furthermore, an additional scenario has been defined considering electric generation emissions associated with EBVs and PHEVs charging from a combined-cycle power plant. These charging emissions would produce slight NO2 increases in the downwind areas of <3 mu g m(-3). Thus, fleet electrification would improve urban air quality even when considering emissions associated with charging electric vehicles. However, two further points should be considered. First, fleet electrification cannot be considered a unique solution, and other management strategies may be defined. This is especially important with respect to particulate matter emissions, which are not significantly reduced by fleet electrification (<5%) due to the high weight of non-exhaust emissions. Second, a significant introduction of electric vehicles (26-40%) involving all vehicle categories is required to improve urban air quality. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Country

Spain

Related Organizations

Universitat Polite`cnica de Catalunya
Spain
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Spain
Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Spain

Keywords

Air quality -- Measurement -- Mathematical models, Emission inventory, EUROPE, Electric vehicles, Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Disseny i construcció de vehicles::Automòbils, Hybrid electric vehicles -- Environmental aspects, Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Enginyeria ambiental, CHEMISTRY, Automòbils -- Motors -- Gas d'escapament, Air quality modelling, EMISSIONS, Aire -- Qualitat -- Gestió, :Enginyeria mecànica::Disseny i construcció de vehicles::Automòbils [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC], Air quality management, Automobiles -- Motors -- Exhaust gas, :Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Enginyeria ambiental [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC], MODEL, Aire -- Qualitat -- Mesurament -- Models matemàtics, TRANSPORT SECTOR, Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Degradació ambiental::Contaminació atmosfèrica, SYSTEM, Vehicles elèctrics híbrids -- Aspectes ambientals, :Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Degradació ambiental::Contaminació atmosfèrica [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC]

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	influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).	Top 10%
	impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.	Top 10%