Can planned control measures for private passenger vehicles achieve China's carbon peak goal and mitigate the environmental impact?

There is a lack of consensus as to whether planned control measures for vehicular emissions can achieve China's carbon peak goal and mitigate the environmental impact of private passenger vehicles. This paper studies the environmental benefits of China's planned control measures by using a dynamic fleet-based life cycle assessment (LCA) method and what-if scenario analysis at a full national scale in a life-cycle systematic perspective. The results showed that burden-shifting may occur for electric vehicle (EV) deployment and demand-side interventions. China cannot achieve carbon peak goal before 2030 with the current planned control measures, unless the internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) fleet or the power grid is improved significantly. Largescale deployment of EVs in the short term, with much improved ICEVs and a less clean power grid, is not conducive to peak fleet carbon emissions. Therefore, improving the ICEV fleet should be a priority for policymaking in the short term.

Automated summary

This paper studies the environmental benefits of China's planned control measures on vehicular emissions. The research shows that burden-shifting may occur for electric vehicle deployment and demand-side interventions. In order to achieve the carbon peak goal, it is necessary to significantly improve the internal combustion engine vehicle fleet or the power grid.