Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles’ Potential for Urban Transport in China: The Role of Energy Sources and Utility Factors

To investigate the energy consumption and emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in China in 2020, we undertake a “Well-to-Wheel” lifecycle energy consumption and carbon emission analysis using the ‘Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transport’ model from the U.S. Argonne National Laboratory. We find that PHEVs would reduce energy consumption by 37.5% and GHG emissions by 35%, when compared to current gasoline vehicles under the predicted 2020 electricity-generation mix. These savings would be higher under cleaner electricity-generation mixes. These benefits are not substantially affected by changes in travel distances, battery ranges, or charging frequencies.