Electrification of the Car Fleet in London: How EVs Can Address the Dual Problem of Air Pollution and Climate Change
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Centre for Environmental Policy
Abstract
This project aims to asses both the impact of EVs on air pollution in London and the impact on the UK's electricity system. The multidisciplinary approach will answer questions such as:
- How have EVs affected air quality in London?
- What future scenario of electrification would have the greatest impact on air quality?
- How have EVs affected the Uk's electricity system and hence upstream emissions?
- What future scenario of electrification would have the greatest benefit to the Uk's electricity system and on upstream emissions?
- What elements of an electrification scenario are the above questions most sensitive to?
The student will first assess the state of electrification up to 2020, establishing the current impact of EVs and to create a baseline to which future scenarios can be compared. This will be done using historical data on different aspects of EVs and the UK's electricity system. Next the student will devise scenarios that can be modelled in air quality simulation models and electricity system simulation models, simultaneously, producing a novel analysis spanning both fields.
Strategic theme: Multidisciplinary research spanning air quality, transport and energy related fields.
Research areas: Air pollution, transportation, energy, climate change, EVs.
- How have EVs affected air quality in London?
- What future scenario of electrification would have the greatest impact on air quality?
- How have EVs affected the Uk's electricity system and hence upstream emissions?
- What future scenario of electrification would have the greatest benefit to the Uk's electricity system and on upstream emissions?
- What elements of an electrification scenario are the above questions most sensitive to?
The student will first assess the state of electrification up to 2020, establishing the current impact of EVs and to create a baseline to which future scenarios can be compared. This will be done using historical data on different aspects of EVs and the UK's electricity system. Next the student will devise scenarios that can be modelled in air quality simulation models and electricity system simulation models, simultaneously, producing a novel analysis spanning both fields.
Strategic theme: Multidisciplinary research spanning air quality, transport and energy related fields.
Research areas: Air pollution, transportation, energy, climate change, EVs.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Helen Apsimon (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Daniel Mehlig (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE/S013350/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2022 | |||
| 2368217 | Studentship | NE/S013350/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2022 | Daniel Mehlig |
| Description | A comparison between Electric Vehicles (EVs) and regular modern vehicles revealed that EVs improve air quality for NOx, and a much smaller impact for PM2.5. The research on non-exhaust PM emissions from road vehicles (emissions coming from the tyres, brakes, and road) is not yet extensive enough to make confident predictions about changes in PM. Further research is therefore needed to better our understanding of non-exhaust emissions. The emissions produced in the generation of electricty resutling from the charing of EVs can change when a vehicle is smart charged. Today in the UK, smart charging can be effective in two ways: 1. Charge the vehicle overnight in the winter and 2. Charge the vehcile in the middle of the day in summer. T |
| Exploitation Route | This research has demonstrated the shortcomings of the current understanding on non-exhaust emissions from road transport. The current limitations reduce the ability to model the current air quality in cities and also the ability to model future scenarios of road transport where EVs replace regular vehciles. By showing the range of uncertainty and the resulting wide range of potetnial health and subsequent financial impacts demonstares why this knowledge is required. The research also sets a baseline for how EVs have been used today their current impact on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Allowing future studies of similar scope to see how EVs have improved through technological advances of the vehicle or through the decarbonisation of the electricity system. |
| Sectors | Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Transport |
| Description | The model of the UK car fleet I created for my research is being directly used by DEFRA in their work towards the forthecoming envrionment bill (assessing how road transport impacts air quality). I also helped improve my supervisor's air quality model to represent hybrid and electric vehicles more acurately, which is again being used for research for the environment bill. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Environment |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |