A polygon-based environmental appraisal of new vehicle technologies combined with renewable energy sources

The paper compares the environmental performance of vehicle technologies that use energy carriers based on renewable energy sources. The technologies examined involve internal combustion engine, hybrid electric and fuel-cell vehicles using methanol as the energy carrier, fuel-cell vehicles using hydrogen as the energy carrier, and battery-powered electric vehicles that use electricity. While internal combustion engine vehicles have the worst environmental performance, it is not clear which of the others has the best performance. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.