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M-1A-15 - Improved Energy Efficiency for Vehicles

Improved energy efficiency for vehicles involves optimizing vehicle design, technology, and operations to reduce energy consumption and emissions. Enhancements include advanced aerodynamics, efficient powertrains, low rolling resistance tires, and better thermal management systems. Technological advancements such as turbocharging, direct fuel injection, and cylinder deactivation in internal combustion engines contribute to higher fuel efficiency. While these advancements offer significant benefits, they require ongoing innovation, investment, and consumer acceptance to achieve widespread adoption and impact.

Improved energy efficiency for vehicles is listed in table 10.1 of (IPCC AR6 WG3 2022)1 and section 8.3.1 of (IPCC AR5 WG3 2014)2.

Mitigation Objective

The primary goal is for an efficiency shift to increase energy efficiency of all vehicle types.

Mitigation Potential

Potential

The AR6 report does not present a single estimate for the mitigation potential of improved energy efficiency, however a table of potentials is given for various technological solutions. We estimate a conservative 35% net total potential for these solutions.

Both the integrated and sectoral model literature present energy efficiency measures as having the greatest promise and playing the largest role for emission reductions in the short term (Skinner et al., 2010; Harvey, 2012; IEA, 2009; McKinnon and Piecyk, 2009; Sorrell et al., 2012).

- (IPCC AR5 WG3 2014)2

The potential GHG emissions resulting from improvements in the technical energy efficiency of vehicles were estimated in another scenario in SULTAN, which concluded that these could deliver a reduction in transport‘s GHG emissions of 12% on 1990 levels by 2050.

- (Skinner et al., n.d.)3

Several LD[V] gasoline concepts are achieving 10-15% and some up to 35% reductions relative to GDI (gasoline direct injection) engines of today. Projections indicate tight CO₂ regulations will require some degree of hybridization and/or high-performing gasoline and diesel engines. Scoping work on HD[V] engines is reported on achieving 55% BTE (break thermal efficiency) using methods that can reasonably be commercialized.

- (Joshi 2019)4

Modelling

This mitigation method has been modelled with the Transition Element: T-1A1a-4 - Improved vehicle technology.

Primary Reference

The primary reference for this mitigation measure is (IPCC AR6 WG3 2022)1.

Secondary References

Review of Vehicle Engine Efficiency and Emissions

This paper (Joshi 2019)4 is the primary reference used by WG3 when discussing energy efficiency for vehicles. The paper summarises the major and representative developments in vehicle energy efficiency.

  1. IPCC AR6 WG3. 2022. Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Edited by Priyadarshi R. Shukla, Jim Skea, Raphael Slade, Alaa Al Khourdajie, Renée van Diemen, David McCollum, Minal Pathak, et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157926. ↩↩

  2. IPCC AR5 WG3. 2014. Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change: Working Group III Contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Edited by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Ottmar Edenhofer. Cambridge University Press. ↩↩

  3. Skinner, Ian, Huib van Essen, Richard Smokers, and Nikolas Hill. n.d. “Towards the Decarbonisation of the EU‘s Transport Sector by 2050.” Final Report. ↩

  4. Joshi, Ameya. 2019. Review of Vehicle Engine Efficiency and Emissions. Vol. 1. https://doi.org/10.4271/2019-01-0314. ↩↩

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