Techno-Economic and Lifecycle Comparative Analysis of Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (SHEVs) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in Emerging Automotive Markets

The transition toward sustainable passenger mobility in emerging markets has created a sharp technological and economic divide between Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (SHEVs)—specifically Series-Parallel power-split architectures—and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). While BEVs eliminate tailpipe emissions and offer low per-kilometer energy costs, widespread adoption remains constrained by high upfront battery capital costs, steep commercial fast-charging tariffs, secondary-market depreciation, and coal-heavy electricity grids. Conversely, SHEVs pair Atkinson-cycle internal combustion engines with self-charging electric drivetrains to achieve brake thermal efficiencies exceeding 40%and real-world fuel economies of 23" to " 28" km/l" without relying on external charging infrastructure. This study presents an integrated thermodynamic, techno-economic, and environmental comparison of SHEVs, BEVs, and baseline Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs) in the Indian mid-size passenger segment. Using both nominal cash-flow accounting and a discounted Net Present Value (NPV) Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) framework across an 8-year horizon alongside a Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), we evaluate break-even distances, fiscal taxation asymmetries, electrochemical battery degradation mechanisms, and Well-to-Wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Results indicate that under mixed charging conditions, an average user must accumulate approximately 77,000" to " 80,000" km" (nominal) or 88,000" to " 96,000" km" (discounted at 6%) for a BEV to outperform a Strong Hybrid financially, while coal-dominated grids (710〖" gCO" 〗_2 "eq/kWh" ) currently give SHEVs a marginal lifecycle carbon advantage (157.2 vs. 179.0〖" gCO" 〗_2 "eq/km" ) until renewable grid penetration expands.