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Li et al. Carbon Footprints 2024;3:6 Carbon Footprints
DOI: 10.20517/cf.2023.54

Original Article Open Access

The emission reduction potential and cost-

effectiveness of low-GWP refrigerants in electric
vehicle air conditionings

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Anran Li , Binbin Yu , Yingjing Zhang , Hongsheng Ouyang , Zhikai Guo , Junye Shi , Jiangping Chen 1
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Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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State Key Laboratory of the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Replacement and Control Treatment, Zhejiang Research Institute of
Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310023, Zhejiang, China.
Correspondence to: Prof. Jiangping Chen, Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Minhang
District, Shanghai 200240, China. E-mail: jpchen@sjtu.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Li A, Yu B, Zhang Y, Ouyang H, Guo Z, Shi J, Chen J. The emission reduction potential and cost-
effectiveness of low-GWP refrigerants in electric vehicle air conditionings. Carbon Footprints 2024;3:6. https://dx.doi.org/10.
20517/cf.2023.54
Received: 5 Dec 2023 First Decision: 22 Jan 2024 Revised: 5 Feb 2024 Accepted: 8 Feb 2024 Published: 22 Feb 2024

Academic Editor: Han Hao Copy Editor: Fangling Lan Production Editor: Fangling Lan

Abstract
Electric vehicles play a crucial role in the carbon neutrality transformation of urban transportation, provided that
they are powered by electricity generated from renewable (rather than fossil-based) generation sources. However,
the substantial indirect emissions from electric vehicle air conditioning energy consumption and the significant
direct emissions from HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) refrigerants pose considerable challenges. In order to identify
low-GWP (global warming potential) refrigerants -such as R1234yf, R744, and R290 - that can effectively minimize
carbon emissions while maintaining certain cost-effectiveness, this paper establishes the relevant life-cycle
analysis and life-cycle cost analysis models for electric vehicle air conditioning. The results obtained show that, in
2022, the total carbon emissions of China’s automotive air conditioning fleet were approximately 162 million tons
CO -eq. The nationwide average carbon emissions ranking of various refrigerant heat pumps is R290 < R1234yf <
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R744 < R134a. The Net Present Value (NPV) of the life cycle cost for R134a electric vehicle heat pump is estimated
to be around 11,500 yuan. Among the three low-GWP refrigerants, the life cycle cost of R290 is significantly lower
than that of R134a under nationwide average conditions, while R744 exhibits the best life cycle performance in
certain cold cities/regions.

Keywords: Low-GWP refrigerant, electric vehicle air conditionings, LCA, LCCA, carbon neutrality

© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
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