Air-quality improvements from plug-in cars
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) may reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and improve air quality in the U.S. if widely adopted, according to an assessment [in two parts, for greenhouse gases (PDF size: 953 kb) and air quality (PDF size: 349 kb)] released by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) on July 19.
EPRI and NRDC combined models of air quality and electricity and transportation markets to figure out the impact of PHEVs. The gas-burning plug-in vehicles would result in reduced tailpipe and fuel-related emissions, but the amount of pollution that would be cut depends on the type of electricity used to recharge each vehicle.
If the number of PHEVs on the road increases to a 60% market share, by 2050, greenhouse-gas emissions could decrease by more than 450 million metric tons, the analysis shows, depending on electricity generation practices.
