Skip to main content
Top

2020 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

Gasoline Savings from Electric Vehicles in the US

Authors : Tamara L. Sheldon, Rubal Dua

Published in: Who’s Driving Electric Cars

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

Without the option to purchase plug-in electric and/or hybrid vehicles, conventional counterfactuals used in literature may underestimate the fuel savings from clean vehicle adoption, thus overestimating the costs of securing associated environmental benefits. Using a nationally representative sample of new car purchases in the U.S., a vehicle choice model-based counterfactual approach is proposed in this chapter that allows for the prediction of what consumers would purchase if these clean vehicles were unavailable. The cost of demand-side policies in the form of financial incentives to encourage plug-in electric vehicle adoption is estimated.
Policy relevant insights:
  • In the US, gasoline consumption under a no clean vehicle scenario increases by 1.7%, compared with a 1.1% increase based on a conventional counterfactual.
  • Many pivotal buyers would instead purchase premium brands and larger vehicles, leading to an increase in the share of light trucks, which are subject to less stringent, but more difficult to meet standards.
  • Assuming a vehicle lifetime of 16 years, the conventional counterfactual overestimates the cost of gasoline savings from clean vehicle adoption incentives by $1.16 (27%) per gallon compared with the choice model-based counterfactual.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Versicherung + Risiko




Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Footnotes
1
In practice, fuel economy tends to be lower (and fuel consumption greater) than in laboratory tests. Thus, the overall real-world savings would be lower in absolute terms (and associated costs higher) than our estimates. However, relative differences between our estimates and conventional counterfactuals would remain.
 
3
This would require knowing how many people did not purchase a new vehicle in each mesh category.
 
Literature
go back to reference Archsmith, J., Kendall, A., & Rapson, D. (2015). From cradle to junkyard: Assessing the life cycle greenhouse gas benefits of electric vehicles. Research in Transportation Economics, 52, 72–90.CrossRef Archsmith, J., Kendall, A., & Rapson, D. (2015). From cradle to junkyard: Assessing the life cycle greenhouse gas benefits of electric vehicles. Research in Transportation Economics, 52, 72–90.CrossRef
go back to reference Axsen, J., Bailey, J., & Castro, M. A. (2015). Preference and lifestyle heterogeneity among potential plug-in electric vehicle buyers. Energy Economics, 50, 190–201.CrossRef Axsen, J., Bailey, J., & Castro, M. A. (2015). Preference and lifestyle heterogeneity among potential plug-in electric vehicle buyers. Energy Economics, 50, 190–201.CrossRef
go back to reference Campbell, R., Zhou, Y., Lin, Z., & Ward, J. (2017). Analysis of manufacturer plug-in electric vehicle incentives. In Transportation research board annual meeting compendium of papers. Campbell, R., Zhou, Y., Lin, Z., & Ward, J. (2017). Analysis of manufacturer plug-in electric vehicle incentives. In Transportation research board annual meeting compendium of papers.
go back to reference DeShazo, J. R. (2016). Improving incentives for clean vehicle purchases in the United States: Challenges and opportunities. Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, 10(1), 149–165.CrossRef DeShazo, J. R. (2016). Improving incentives for clean vehicle purchases in the United States: Challenges and opportunities. Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, 10(1), 149–165.CrossRef
go back to reference Gillingham, K. (2014). Identifying the elasticity of driving: Evidence from a gasoline price shock in California. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 47, 13–24.CrossRef Gillingham, K. (2014). Identifying the elasticity of driving: Evidence from a gasoline price shock in California. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 47, 13–24.CrossRef
go back to reference Gillingham, K., Jenn, A., & Azevedo, I. M. L. (2015). Heterogeneity in the response to gasoline prices: Evidence from Pennsylvania and implications for the rebound effect. Energy Economics, 52, S41–S52.CrossRef Gillingham, K., Jenn, A., & Azevedo, I. M. L. (2015). Heterogeneity in the response to gasoline prices: Evidence from Pennsylvania and implications for the rebound effect. Energy Economics, 52, S41–S52.CrossRef
go back to reference Henly, J., Ruderman, H., & Levine, M. D. (1988). Energy saving resulting from the adoption of more efficient appliances: A follow-up. The Energy Journal, 9(2), 163–170. Henly, J., Ruderman, H., & Levine, M. D. (1988). Energy saving resulting from the adoption of more efficient appliances: A follow-up. The Energy Journal, 9(2), 163–170.
go back to reference Holland, S. P., Mansur, E. T., Muller, N. Z., & Yates, A. J. (2016). Environmental benefits from driving electric vehicles? American Economic Review, 106(12), 3700–3729.CrossRef Holland, S. P., Mansur, E. T., Muller, N. Z., & Yates, A. J. (2016). Environmental benefits from driving electric vehicles? American Economic Review, 106(12), 3700–3729.CrossRef
go back to reference Jenn, A., Azevedo, I. M. L., & Michalek, J. J. (2016). Alternative fuel vehicle adoption increases fleet gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions under United States corporate average fuel economy policy and greenhouse gas emissions standards. Environmental Science and Technology, 50(5), 2165–2174.CrossRef Jenn, A., Azevedo, I. M. L., & Michalek, J. J. (2016). Alternative fuel vehicle adoption increases fleet gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions under United States corporate average fuel economy policy and greenhouse gas emissions standards. Environmental Science and Technology, 50(5), 2165–2174.CrossRef
go back to reference Langford, R. P., & Gillingham, K. (2015). Market benefits from hybrids. Working paper. Langford, R. P., & Gillingham, K. (2015). Market benefits from hybrids. Working paper.
go back to reference Reiss, P. C., & White, M. W. (2005). Household electricity demand, revisited. The Review of Economic Studies, 72(3), 853–883.CrossRef Reiss, P. C., & White, M. W. (2005). Household electricity demand, revisited. The Review of Economic Studies, 72(3), 853–883.CrossRef
go back to reference Sheldon, T. L., DeShazo, J. R., & Carson, Richard T. (2017). Demand for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles: Policy lessons for an emerging market. Economic Inquiry, 55(2), 695–713.CrossRef Sheldon, T. L., DeShazo, J. R., & Carson, Richard T. (2017). Demand for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles: Policy lessons for an emerging market. Economic Inquiry, 55(2), 695–713.CrossRef
go back to reference Small, K. A., & Van Dender, K. (2007). Fuel efficiency and motor vehicle travel: The declining rebound effect. The Energy Journal, 2007, 25–51. Small, K. A., & Van Dender, K. (2007). Fuel efficiency and motor vehicle travel: The declining rebound effect. The Energy Journal, 2007, 25–51.
go back to reference West, J., Hoekstra, M., Meer, J., & Puller, S. L. (2017). Vehicle miles (not) traveled: fuel economy requirements, vehicle characteristics, and household driving. Journal of Public Economics, 145, 65–81.CrossRef West, J., Hoekstra, M., Meer, J., & Puller, S. L. (2017). Vehicle miles (not) traveled: fuel economy requirements, vehicle characteristics, and household driving. Journal of Public Economics, 145, 65–81.CrossRef
go back to reference Zivin, G., Joshua, S., Kotchen, M. J., & Mansur, E. T. (2014). Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of marginal emissions: Implications for electric cars and other electricity-shifting policies. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 107, 248–268.CrossRef Zivin, G., Joshua, S., Kotchen, M. J., & Mansur, E. T. (2014). Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of marginal emissions: Implications for electric cars and other electricity-shifting policies. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 107, 248–268.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Gasoline Savings from Electric Vehicles in the US
Authors
Tamara L. Sheldon
Rubal Dua
Copyright Year
2020
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38382-4_4

Premium Partner