Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study

This study is conducted within the framework of the Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia (KSA) economy and promote sustainable technologies. The study specifically examines the life cycle performance of hybrid and conventional Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). It employed a glob...

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Main Authors: Michael Samsu Koroma, Abdulrahman Alwosheel, Yagyavalk Bhatt, Anvita Arora
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825002783
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author Michael Samsu Koroma
Abdulrahman Alwosheel
Yagyavalk Bhatt
Anvita Arora
author_facet Michael Samsu Koroma
Abdulrahman Alwosheel
Yagyavalk Bhatt
Anvita Arora
author_sort Michael Samsu Koroma
collection DOAJ
description This study is conducted within the framework of the Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia (KSA) economy and promote sustainable technologies. The study specifically examines the life cycle performance of hybrid and conventional Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). It employed a globally relevant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methods to comprehensively evaluate the environmental and cost performance of these vehicles from a life cycle perspective. The findings indicate that hybrid SUVs could reduce GHG emissions by 19.5 % compared to conventional SUVs in KSA despite the extra carbon emissions from producing their electric powertrain components. However, despite their superior fuel efficiency, hybrid SUVs exhibit a slightly higher TCO, around 6 % more than their conventional counterparts. Notably, depreciation costs emerge as a significant factor influencing the TCO of these vehicles, underscoring the necessity for cost-competitive financing options and measures to reduce the initial purchase cost of hybrid vehicles. We recommend policymakers consider promoting hybrid SUVs as a near-term decarbonization strategy, thus laying the groundwork for a sustainable transport system. However, intensifying efforts to achieve purchase cost parity with conventional vehicles (e.g., halving or removing the vehicle sales tax for HEVs) will accelerate market uptake.
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spelling doaj-art-68ed5d5a2c52411e8d6f035384e4badd2025-08-20T02:06:47ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-06-01910071510.1016/j.sftr.2025.100715Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case studyMichael Samsu Koroma0Abdulrahman Alwosheel1Yagyavalk Bhatt2Anvita Arora3King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), PO Box 88550, Riyadh, 11672, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), PO Box 88550, Riyadh, 11672, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), PO Box 88550, Riyadh, 11672, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), PO Box 88550, Riyadh, 11672, Saudi ArabiaThis study is conducted within the framework of the Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia (KSA) economy and promote sustainable technologies. The study specifically examines the life cycle performance of hybrid and conventional Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). It employed a globally relevant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methods to comprehensively evaluate the environmental and cost performance of these vehicles from a life cycle perspective. The findings indicate that hybrid SUVs could reduce GHG emissions by 19.5 % compared to conventional SUVs in KSA despite the extra carbon emissions from producing their electric powertrain components. However, despite their superior fuel efficiency, hybrid SUVs exhibit a slightly higher TCO, around 6 % more than their conventional counterparts. Notably, depreciation costs emerge as a significant factor influencing the TCO of these vehicles, underscoring the necessity for cost-competitive financing options and measures to reduce the initial purchase cost of hybrid vehicles. We recommend policymakers consider promoting hybrid SUVs as a near-term decarbonization strategy, thus laying the groundwork for a sustainable transport system. However, intensifying efforts to achieve purchase cost parity with conventional vehicles (e.g., halving or removing the vehicle sales tax for HEVs) will accelerate market uptake.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825002783Life cycle assessment (LCA)Total cost of ownership (TCO)Hybrid electric vehiclesSustainable mobility
spellingShingle Michael Samsu Koroma
Abdulrahman Alwosheel
Yagyavalk Bhatt
Anvita Arora
Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study
Sustainable Futures
Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
Hybrid electric vehicles
Sustainable mobility
title Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study
title_full Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study
title_fullStr Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study
title_full_unstemmed Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study
title_short Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of SUVs: a Saudi Arabia case study
title_sort life cycle environmental and cost analysis of suvs a saudi arabia case study
topic Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
Hybrid electric vehicles
Sustainable mobility
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825002783
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AT abdulrahmanalwosheel lifecycleenvironmentalandcostanalysisofsuvsasaudiarabiacasestudy
AT yagyavalkbhatt lifecycleenvironmentalandcostanalysisofsuvsasaudiarabiacasestudy
AT anvitaarora lifecycleenvironmentalandcostanalysisofsuvsasaudiarabiacasestudy