Measurement report: Insight into greenhouse gas emission characteristics of light-duty vehicles in China in the context of technological innovation
<p>Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represent a pivotal driver of global climate change, with vehicular emissions, particularly from light-duty vehicles, emerging as a prominent source of GHGs. Despite extensive research on gaseous pollutants, studies on GHG emissions within the framework of car...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/7669/2025/acp-25-7669-2025.pdf |
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| Summary: | <p>Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represent a pivotal driver of global climate change, with vehicular emissions, particularly from light-duty vehicles, emerging as a prominent source of GHGs. Despite extensive research on gaseous pollutants, studies on GHG emissions within the framework of carbon neutrality remain scarce. This study delves into the emission characteristics of three primary GHGs (carbon dioxide (CO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>), methane (CH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>4</sub></span>), and nitrous oxide (N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>O)) from various light-duty vehicles, encompassing conventional gasoline and hybrid vehicles and bi-fuel taxis. As anticipated, with advancements in emission standards and powertrains, vehicular GHG emissions have significantly decreased. However, our findings also revealed surprising trends. While engine technology upgrades reduced CO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>, they unexpectedly increased CH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>4</sub></span> and N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>O emissions. Additionally, hot starts, beneficial for reducing CO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> and CH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>4</sub></span> emissions, caused heightened N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>O emissions, which is noteworthy under operating conditions with frequent start–stop events. Intriguingly, compressed natural gas (CNG), generally perceived as cleaner, increased CH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>4</sub></span> emissions. Regarding the impact of three-way-catalyst (TWC) converters on GHG emissions, under “TWC deteriorated” conditions, N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>O emissions from CNG-powered vehicles were approximately 3 times higher than those under “TWC worked” conditions, which can be attributed to the significant increase in nitrogen oxides (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span>). Considering the global warming potential (GWP), the “TWC deteriorated” scenario paradoxically decreased GWP values, highlighting the complex interaction between emission control technologies and their environmental impacts. This study provides crucial insights into vehicular GHG emissions, which are essential for developing effective strategies aimed at mitigating emissions and enhancing the efficiency of emission control systems.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |