FACTSHEET 6

International Vehicle Emissions model (IVE)

Developer
University of California, Riverside; International Sustainable Systems
Research Center; U.S. EPA
Developed in 2003-2004; most recent version, IVE 2.0, was released in 2008
Location
http://www.issrc.org/ive/
The International Vehicle Emissions has two components. First is a
methodology is designed to collect vehicle related data to support
development of an accurate estimate of on-road vehicular emissions for a
selected urban area. It includes traffic data collection, emission factors
estimation and emission modeling for GHG, criteria pollutants and toxics. It
has been implemented in 12 cities worldwide. IVE provides a methodology
for collecting data and calculating an emissions inventory of GHGs, criteria
and toxic pollutants from vehicular emissions at any geographic level of
analysis.
The second component is a model. It was created with the aim of developing
an international study on mobile-source emissions in developing nations. The
model includes United States and European technological specifications for
vehicles. IVE is considered the international version of MOVES (discussed
later in section 7), and contains all the essential features of MOVES, though
allows the user the freedom to calibrate the emission factors to local
conditions.
Methodology
IVE is composed of three phases. First, the driving patterns, vehicle
technology, and start-up patterns of vehicles currently in use are estimated.
Second, the emissions of these vehicles are estimated. Finally, these
estimates, in addition to other information such as local conditions and the
types and ages of the vehicle fleet, are inputted into a JAVA-based software
tool that generates an estimate of vehicular emissions.
Inputs
Table 5.1 IVE Inputs
Fuel characteristics

Local Variables

Gas:
Overall

Altitude (meters or
feet)

Power and driving

variables
Number of vehicles
by vehicle type and

(clean/unclean,
premixed/unmixed)
Sulfur content of
fuels (ppm)
Lead (none, low or
high)
Benzene (Super low,
low, moderate and
high)
Oxygenate content
of fuels (0-2.5%)
Diesel:
Overall
(clean/unclean,
premixed/unmixed)
Sulfur content of
fuels (ppm)

Humidity level (%)

Average temperature
(F or C)
Base emissions
adjustment

model year
Fleet distribution by
categories
Number of vehicle
starts, per day and
by vehicle type (start
distribution)
Mean mileage for
each vehicle type
(VKT)
Local emissions
factors *
Road Grade
Vehicle Specific
Power
Air Conditioning
Usage (A/C use at
27C (80F))
Average trip length
Average vehicle
speed
Inspection/maintena
nce programs

Sources: (IVE Model Program Version 2.0.2., and other studies)

*Note: Some of the inputs can be substituted with default values.

IVE has seven on-road vehicle categories, 1372 predefined technologies, and
45 additional technologies non-defined. Among the specifications are:
Vehicle types
passenger cars (private cars & taxis)
buses
trucks
motorcycles (three and two wheel vehicles)
other
Technologies are based on:
vehicle size
fuel type (gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, liquid
petroleum gas, ethanol)
vehicle use
fuel Delivery System
evaporative Control System
exhaust Control System/Standards
Note: A complete table is available in the users guide IVE model1

1 Table V.1. Vehicle Class and Technology Categories page 33

Fuel Types
diesel
petrol
natural gas
propane
ethanol
CNG/LPG
special

Pollutants/Gases Analyzed
Table 5.2 IVE Pollutants/Gasses Analyzed
Criteria
CO: Carbon Monoxide
VOC: Volatile Organic
Compounds
VOC
evap:
Volatile
Organic Compounds
NOx: Nitrogen Oxides
SOx: Sulfur Oxides
PM: Particulate Matter

Toxics
Pb: Lead
BUTA: 1,3 Butadiene
ALD: Acetaldehydes
Formaldehydes
NH3: Ammonia
BENZ: Benzene

Global warming
CO2: Carbon Dioxide
N2O: Nitrous Oxide
CH4: Methane

Sources: IVE Model Program Version 2.0.2.

Evaluation
Table 5.3 IVE Evaluation (strengths and
elaboration based on other references below.

weaknesses)

Sources:

Strengths
Includes low-cost method for
gathering local information on
fleet composition

Weaknesses
IVE is not recommended for nonmotorized
and
land
use
management

Includes data from other

projects that can be used in
the absence of local data

Limited to emission estimations

of on-road vehicles only

Includes location, fleet, group,

and base adjustment data from
such cities as Santiago, Mexico
City, Lima, Bogot, and Sao
Paulo
Permits emissions estimation
for fleets composed of many
different vehicular
technologies (European and
US)

The vehicle classification should

be cautiously chosen because it
may give an incorrect emissions
inventory. Therefore, for mega
cities with significant number of
technologies the data input is
large (e.g. Shanghai, China)
(Wang et al., 2008)

Self

Free software with an easy-touse and flexible design that

requires minimal local data and
it has a friendly Manuals User
(standardize methodology
applied in 12 cities worldwide)
Predict future emissions
interventions in fleet, fuel
quality, vehicle flows and
congestions

Precedents
IVE Vehicle Activity Reports conducted in: Peru (Lima), Mexico (Mexico City),
Chile (Santiago), Brazil (Sao Paulo), as well as Kazakhstan (Almaty), China
(Beijing, Shanghai), Kenya (Nairobi), India (Pune).
IVE Vehicle Emissions Reports conducted in: Brazil (Sao Paulo), Mexico
(Mexico City), as well as in Kazakhstan (Almaty), China (Beijing), Turkey
(Istanbul), and China (Xian). 2
IVE has additionally been applied in Argentina (Buenos Aires), Colombia
(Bogota, Cali), United States (Los Angeles), Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexicali,
Monterey, Tijuana), China (Tianjin), and Israel (Jerusalem).
Additional Information
Recommended by INE to be the national model for calculating emissions in
Mexico, in Feb. 2009 AWMA (journal)3 article, was rated easiest to use
model/most accurate model for developing countries when compared with
MOBILE, EMFAC, and COPERT (Lents & ISSRC)
The basic emission rates for each technology are developed from a variety of
sources, but many of the data for gasoline and diesel vehicles was taken
from the MOBILE6 model and documentation (EPA). Development of emission
factors for vehicles following the European Standards was found using the
COPERT 4 model and documentation (EEA, 2000).
IVE is considered the international version of MOVES, and contains all the
essential features of MOVES, though allows the user the freedom to calibrate
the emission factors to local conditions.
References
2 IVE Reports are available at: http://www.issrc.org/ive/
3 AWMA Journal; Air, Waste Management Association

Davis, N. et al., 2005. Development and application of an international

vehicle emissions model. Transportation Research Board 81st
Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.
Giraldo & Behrentz, 2005. Estimacin del inventario de emisiones de
fuentes mviles para la ciudad de Bogot e identificacin de
variables pertinentes. Departamento de Ingeniera Civil y
Ambiental. Universidad de Los Andes, Bogot, Colombia.
Guo, H., et al., 2007. Evaluation of the International Vehicle Emission
(IVE) model with on-road remote sensing measurements. Journal of
Environmental Sciences, Volume 19, Issue 7, Pages 818-826.
ISSRC Goal: Help to Improve the Air Quality Management Process in
Developing Countries. Provide Training, Software Tools, and
Information for Better Air Quality Management programs in
developing
countries.
Assessed
on
July
12,
2011
at:
http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/susdevtopics/sdt_pdfs/meetings/ecm0609/Jame
s_Lents.pdf

IVE - Model Users Manual Version 2.0; 2008. Available on line at:
http://www.issrc.org/ive/downloads/manuals/UsersManual.pdf
IVE Model. Attachment A Version 1.2; 2008. Available on line at:
http://www.issrc.org/ive/downloads/manuals/AttachA_BER.pdf
Wang, H., et al., 2008. On-road vehicle emissions inventory and its
uncertainty analysis for Shanghai, China. Science Direct, Pages 6067.
Lents, J. Improving the Air Quality Management Process. Assessed on
July
12,
2011
at:
http://www.cleanairinstitute.org/download/rosario/gp4_3_01_jim_lent
s.pdf
Zhang, Y., et al., 2008. Impact of Vehicle Classification System to Emission
Inventory Development in China. Department of Environmental Science and
Engineering, Tsinghua University.