Understanding What's In Your Car
The materials chosen for automobiles need to be relatively inexpensive, available in the vast quantities needed for mass production, meet regulatory standards that can span several continents, meet automotive company sustainability guidelines, and withstand punishing speeds and potential crashes. As some auto manufacturers look more like tech companies and as climate change forces increases in fuel efficiency, automobiles have grown ever more complicated. To understand what it takes to make today's automobiles, it's best to first look at the range of ways we power our vehicles since that affects many of the raw materials needed:
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
(1) Fuel type: Powered entirely by electricity, stored in batteries (typically lithium-ion). Some BEVs also have a regenerative braking system that can capture the energy lost during braking and store it for later use.
(2) Engine mechanics: Rapidly evolving with advances in battery technology, charging infrastructure, and vehicle efficiency. It uses electric motors and battery packs for propulsion; no internal combustion.
(3) Emissions: Zero tailpipe emissions, and overall emissions are indirect and depend on the electricity source for charging. The production of BEVs produces 8.8 metric tons of CO2, 43 % for battery production.
(4) Charging and range: Requires charging at electric vehicle stations or through home charging setups. In 2023, the average BEV on American roads had a range of almost 300 miles when fully charged.
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)
(1) Fuel type: Powered by hydrogen gas used in a fuel cell to produce electricity. Many FCEVs have a regenerative braking system that can capture the energy lost during braking and store it for later use.
(2) Engine mechanics: FCEVs use propulsion like that of electric vehicles. Energy stored as hydrogen is transformed into electricity by a fuel cell.
(3) Emissions: Only emits water vapor; zero greenhouse gases from the vehicle. CO2 from manufacturing is about the same as that from ICE vehicles.
(4) Fueling and range: Refueling with hydrogen is required at specialized hydrogen stations. The driving range is more than 300 miles.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)
(1) Fuel type: Combines a traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor, but unlike PHEVs, they cannot be plugged in to recharge.
(2) Engine mechanics: The electric battery can be recharged by the internal combustion engine and sometimes by regenerative braking.
(3) Emissions: Generally lower emissions compared with traditional ICE vehicles because of improved fuel efficiency, about 2.16 metric tons of CO2 annually.
(4) Fueling and range: Requires refueling at gas stations. Range depends on the fuel tank capacity.
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Vehicles
(1) Fuel type: It uses gasoline or diesel, produced from crude oil, extracted from oil wells, and processed in refineries to separate out numerous components.
(2) Engine mechanics: One of the oldest automotive technologies with an extended and easily found infrastructure for repair and refueling. Fuel combustion generates power that drives the pistons and turns the crankshaft, propelling the vehicle.
(3) Emissions: Manufacturing an average ICE vehicle produces 5.6 tons of CO2.23 They also emit carbon dioxide and other pollutants because of fuel combustion. The average passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of CO2 annually and has an average fuel economy of 22.2 miles per gallon. That's about 30% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions.
(4) Fueling and range: Requires refueling at gas stations. Range depends on the fuel tank capacity.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)
(1) Fuel type: Combines an internal combustion engine with an electric battery that can be recharged by plugging into an external power source.
(2) Engine mechanics: Bridges the gap between traditional ICE and fully electric vehicles. Can switch between the electric motor and internal combustion engine for propulsion.
(3) Emissions: Lower emissions than ICE vehicles when operating in electric mode; produces emissions when using the combustion engine. These vehicles also generally produce more CO2 during manufacturing than traditional ICE vehicles.
(4) Fueling and range: Can be fueled at gas stations and charged at electric vehicle charging stations or with home outlets. It can operate as an electric vehicle for short distances, from 25 to 60 miles.
