Rebound effect of LCGC (Low Cost Green Cars): Theoretical approach

• Main Author: Saptoadi, Harwin
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Automobile industry; Automobiles; Carbon dioxide; Clean energy; Deceleration; Emission; Energy conservation; Fuel consumption; Greenhouse effect; Greenhouse gases; Low cost; Traffic congestion; Traffic jams; Traffic speed; Traffic volume
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4958535

LCGC (Low Cost Green Cars) program is launched to enhance car production. It is expected that more people can enjoy private cars, which become affordable for medium income families. It is expected as well that some cars can be exported. These cars are claimed to be green and energy-saving because smaller cars consume less fuel, therefore, emit fewer gaseous emissions. However, the introduced program is refused because streets will be fully occupied by private cars. Traffic jams will occur more frequently and become intolerably. Congested traffics will consume fuels uselessly and emit more greenhouse gas. In this case, LCGC is not green and energy-saving anymore. Rebound effect of LCGC must be calculated. The research is based on simplified theoretical correlations among several variables, such as traffic density, average car speed, fuel consumption, gaseous emission, deceleration rate, etc. Traffic densities between 50 and 95 cars per kilometer road length are under study. Moreover, deceleration rates between 1 and 7 m/s2 are assumed. These conditions realize vehicle speeds in the range of 14 – 48 km/h. The minimum total fuel consumption is 2.5 l/km, whereas the maximum is about 8.5 l/km. The minimum total CO2 emission amounts to 7 kg/km, whereas the maximum is around 19 kg/km. The rebound effect apparently exists because the research clearly shows that higher traffic densities consume more fuel and emit more carbon dioxide.