Emission Factors for Freight Vehicles
Definitions​
-
Vehicle Type
Classification of freight vehicles based on their gross vehicle weight (GVW). -
Gross Weight (GVW)
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the maximum allowable combined mass of the vehicle chassis, transported material (payload), fuel, accessories, and occupants, expressed in tonnes (t). -
Vehicle Capacity
Maximum cargo (payload) the vehicle can carry, in tonnes (t). -
Empty Vehicle Weight
Calculated as:Empty Weight = Gross Weight − Capacity. -
Emission Factor (kg COâ‚‚/tonne-km)
Average carbon dioxide emissions produced per tonne of freight transported over one kilometre. -
Total Emissions Formula (Round Trip)
Assuming the vehicle goes fully loaded to the site and returns empty:
Total Emissions = Number of Trips × (2 × Empty Vehicle Weight + Cargo Capacity) × Distance × Emission Factor
- Source
Reference document from which the emission factors are derived.
Emission Factors by Vehicle Category​
| Vehicle Type | Gross Weight Range (t) | Vehicle Class | Emission Factor (kg COâ‚‚/tonne-km) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Duty Vehicle | < 4.5 | LDV | 1.2 | Transport. In: Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, IPCC |
| Heavy Duty Vehicle | 4.5 – 9 | HDV (Small) | 0.7 | Transport. In: Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, IPCC |
| Heavy Duty Vehicle | 9 – 12 | HDV (Medium) | 0.55 | Transport. In: Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, IPCC |
| Heavy Duty Vehicle | > 12 | HDV (Large) | 0.19 | Transport. In: Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, IPCC |
Notes​
- Choose the vehicle type and class based on the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).
- Use the emission factor corresponding to the vehicle type and class for calculating freight emissions.
- The formula above assumes a fully loaded outbound trip and an empty return trip, which is standard in logistics carbon accounting.