Battery-powered electric vehicles

62 Pages·2017·1.7 MB·English

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES
Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies

TRANSPORT AND TOURISM

Research for TRAN Committee -
Battery-powered electric vehicles: market
development and lifecycle emissions

STUDY

Abstract

As 2018 gets under way, there are probably more than three million
electric cars in circulation in the world. There are also more than six
hundred million electric bikes, scooters and motorcycles. Plus a few
hundred thousand electric buses and other types of quadricycles having
an electric motor. The first part of this paper traces the fast evolving
market of electric road vehicles.

The second part shows that the production of hundreds of millions of
battery packs requires a lot of energy and plenty of scarce resources,
which affects the real impact of electric vehicles on the climate and the
environment and make it necessary to consider the recovery and recycling
of used batteries.

PE 617.457 EN
This document was requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and
Tourism.

LINGUISTIC VERSIONS

Original: EN

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to updates on our work for the TRAN
Committee please write to: [email protected]

Manuscript completed in February 2018
© European Union, 2018

Print ISBN 978-92-846-2668-7 doi:10.2861/038794 QA-02-18-139-EN-C
PDF ISBN 978-92-846-2667-0 doi:10.2861/944056 QA-02-18-139-EN-N

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457

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DISCLAIMER

The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not
necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.

Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source
is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.

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Battery-powered electric vehicles: market development and lifecycle emissions
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BATTERY–POWERED ROAD VEHICLES MARKET
5
PART 2:
RESOURCES, ENERGY, AND LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
ASPECTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
15

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Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies
_________________________________________________________________

4
PART 1

The development of battery–powered
road vehicles market

Abstract

This paper traces the fast evolving market of electric road vehicles
worldwide with focus on the European Union at the end of 2017.

IP/B/TRAN/NT/2018-04 2018

PE 617.456 EN
This document was requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and
Tourism.

AUTHOR

Marc Thomas

Project and publication assistance: Virginija Kelmelyte
Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, European Parliament

LINGUISTIC VERSIONS

Original: EN

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to updates on our work for the TRAN
Committee please write to: [email protected]

Manuscript completed in February 2018
© European Union, 2018

DISCLAIMER

The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not
necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.

Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source
is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.
The development of battery–powered road vehicles market

1. WORLD MARKET DEVELOPMENT1

At the end of 2016, there were just over 2 million electric cars2 in the world. This was
less than 0.2% of the global car fleet3, but this level was achieved in about seven years (the
sales of electric vehicles before 2010 are considered insignificant).

Figure 1: Global stock of electric cars (M1+N1), by year (BEV+PHEV)
2.500.000 ≈ 2,100,000
2.000.000
1.500.000
1.000.000
500.000
≈ 66,000
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

In 2016, over 780,000 new electric cars were registered worldwide (of which 62% battery-
electric vehicles4). Annual sales growth, however, dropped below 50% for the first time (+37%
compared to 2015), the growth rate being on a downward trend since 2011.

Figure 2: Global sales of electric cars (M1+N1), by year (BEV and PHEV)
600.000
500.000
484.608
400.000
300.000 301.248
200.000
43.322
100.000
8.729
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
BEV PHEV

1 Sources: For the EU and Norway: European Alternative Fuel Observatory and EC, Joint Research Centre, Electric
vehicles in the EU from 2010 to 2014. For the USA: Hybridcars and Electric Drive Transportation Association. For
China, Japan and the rest of the world: International Energy Agency, Global electric vehicles outlook 2017.
2 “Cars” means passenger cars, including pickups and vans, and light commercial vehicles (LCV). Vehicles currently
on the market match EU categories M1 and N1. The categories of vehicles are those defined by Directive
2007/46/EC and Regulation EU No 168/2013.
3 According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), there were around 1.3 billion
(passenger and commercial) vehicles in use in the world at the end of 2016 (including heavy trucks, coaches and
buses).
4 Battery-electric vehicles (BEV) derive their power only from their rechargeable battery packs. Plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles (PHEV) derive their power from their rechargeable battery packs and from an internal combustion
engine.
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Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies
_________________________________________________________________

The marketplace is highly concentrated. Together, the five largest markets accounted for
93% of 2016 global sales of electric cars. The same also accounted for almost 94% of the
world's fleet of such vehicles. Furthermore, according to the International Council on Clean
Transportation, nearly a third of global electric vehicle sales would be in just 14 metropolitan
areas5. Since 2015, China is by far the main sales place for electric cars, followed by the
EU and the US.

Figure 3: Global sales of electric cars (M1+N1), by year (BEV and PHEV)
900.000
800.000
3%
700.000
21%
600.000
4%
500.000
27%
400.000
43%
300.000 9%
23% 36%
200.000
21%
26%
20%
100.000
20%
35%
45%
6%
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Norway USA China EU Japan Others

5 ICCT, Electric vehicle capitals of the world (March 2017). Namely, in descending electric vehicle share: Oslo, Utrecht,
Shanghai, Shenzhen, Amsterdam, San Jose, San Francisco, Copenhagen, Beijing, Stockholm, Zürich, Los Angeles,
Paris and London.
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