Contribution of carbon emissions to the environmental impact of plug-in electric vehicles in Malta

Abstract

In accordance with European and international environmental obligations, Malta is committed to have 5,000 Battery Electric Vehicles on the road by 2020. On the 14th February 2014, the Maltese government announced a scheme aimed at encouraging ownership of electric vehicles, reducing the number of old motor vehicles from the road and thus reducing pollution. The scheme comprises a grant of €4,000 to persons registering an electric vehicle, increasing to €5,000 in the case of persons registering for an electric vehicle while at the same time de-registering their own vehicle, if it is at least 10 years old. In Malta, as much as 98% of electricity generation is produced from combustion of fossil fuels, mainly heavy fuel oil and diesel oil. The combustion of fossil fuels results in significant environment impacts, particularly in emission of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The energy consumption of two locally available battery electric vehicles in the super-mini category, Renault Zoe and Mitsubishi i-MiEV is analysed, taking into account the CO2 generation characteristics of the Maltese electric power plants. Their performance is compared to that of vehicles in the same category, powered by different fuels.