When it comes to the reduction of passenger vehicle greenhouse gases, electrification seems like a great answer. According to a recent University of Michigan Study, if we’re serious about greenhouse gas emissions then we need to focus on a specific segment of vehicles. It's no secret that the race to build the perfect electric pickup truck is in full swing, and according to UOM’s data, it could help save the planet.
Americans love pickup trucks. These practical family haulers can do just about anything well except sip fuel. Sure, there are now very impressive hybrid options from both Ford and Toyota, but these large machines are responsible for a great deal of emissions when compared to smaller vehicles. That’s why converting the pickup truck market into a more EV-focused segment will have the greatest effect on greenhouse gas emissions for passenger vehicles.
University of Michigan’s study concluded, “Sedans, SUVs and pickup trucks, battery-electric vehicles have approximately 64% lower cradle-to-grave life cycle greenhouse gas emissions than internal-combustion-engine vehicles on average across the United States.” This means that regardless of vehicle segment, converting to an EV will have a lasting impact on emissions over time.
The study found that, “Replacing an internal-combustion-engine sedan with a battery-electric sedan saves 45 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent; replacing an internal-combustion-engine SUV with a battery-electric SUV saves 56 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and replacing an internal-combustion-engine pickup with a battery-electric pickup saves 74 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent over the lifetime of the vehicles, said study first author Max Woody, research specialist at U-M’s Center for Sustainable Systems.”
This means that replacing a single internal combustion pickup truck with an EV version will have the greatest effect on carbon emissions by a huge margin when compared to other vehicles. When we consider America’s preference for trucks and the growing product offering on EV pickups from traditional manufacturers and new players, we expect a huge reduction in emissions from this rapidly evolving market.
