Life cycle assessment of future electric and hybrid vehicles: A cradle-to-grave systems engineering approach

Abstract

Electric mobility is playing an important and growing role in the context of sustainable transport sector development. This study presents the life cycle assessment of an electric car based on the technology of Lithium-ion battery (BEV) for Europe and compares it to an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). According to a cradle-to-grave approach, manufacturing, use and disposal phases of both vehicles have been included in the assessment in order to identify the hot spots of the entire life cycles. For electric vehicles two manufacturing inventories have been analysed and different vehicle disposal pathways have also been considered. Furthermore, the environmental performances of hybrid vehicles have been analysed based on the life cycle models of the BEV and ICEV. The results of the hot spot analysis showed that the BEV manufacturing phase determined the highest environmental burdens mainly in the toxicity categories as a result of the use of metals in the battery pack. However, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the BEV use phase were shown to be half than those recorded for the ICEV use phase. The trend of the results has also been investigated for future energy mixes: the electricity and diesel mixes for the year 2050 have been considered for the modelling of the use phase of BEV and ICEV

Traffic Simulation-Based Approach for A Cradle-to-Grave Greenhouse Gases Emission Model

“…The selected functional unit was 1 km driven by a medium-sized passenger car characterized by a lifespan of 150,000 km. Life lengths of vehicles can vary largely according to the specific characteristics of different models, but the assumed lifespan value is widely used as a reference for LCA studies of small-to medium-sized passenger cars [4,14,18,19,22]. A detailed description of the modeling assumptions for each life cycle stage is given in the following sections.…”

“…Moreover, the impact reduction potential of EVs is estimated as gradually increasing with the optimization of the electricity mix (renewable energies penetration) and the wide application of advanced electricity technologies [18][19][20][21]. The disposal phase was found to have a minor influence on the total environmental burdens [22], even if different recycling technologies for the end-of-life of the vehicle could significantly differ in terms of impact [23].…”

Electric Vehicles for Public Transportation in Power Systems: A Review of Methodologies

“…However, EVs present cradle-to-grave environmental impacts, especially due to the use of lithium batteries. The manufacturing phase corresponds to the highest environmental burden of EVs, mainly in the toxicity categories because of the use of metals in the battery pack [4]. To address these issues, it is crucial to minimize power losses in the battery and develop proper recycling tools [5].…”

Economic and Environmental Considerations for Zero-emission Transport and Thermal Energy Generation on an Energy Autonomous Island

“…The expected population rise will unavoidably result in an increase of energy demand and vehicle use. Light-duty vehicles are predicted to increase significantly by 2050, which implies a strong increase in fuel consumption and pollution related to the transport sector (Tagliaferri et al, 2016). Alternative fuels and technologies to decrease the generated greenhouse gas emissions in the energy and transport sectors are widely studied.…”

“…Fuel-cell cars use hydrogen to generate electricity. It has been shown that heavy metals in battery manufacturing and other aspects of the battery lifecycle increase the environmental impact of this type of cars (Tagliaferri et al, 2016).…”