Evaluating future powertrain and recycling technologies and their impact on the life cycle assessment and costing of mid-size and large passenger vehicles
article
Electrification is needed to improve the environmental performance of the transportation sector but
must be accompanied by technological innovations that eliminate ecological hotspots over the
vehicle’s lifetime. Additionally, the lifetime costs of electric vehicles must be reduced. This study uses
the battery electric vehicle sustainability impact assessment model (BEVSIM) to analyse the effects of
potential changes in recycled plastic content and its waste treatment, electricity grid, and the price of
battery electric vehicles. Using recycled content in plastic parts improved their environmental
performance in all categories except land use; e.g. using 40% recycled plastic reduced 107 kg CO2 eq.
per passenger vehicle. Applying a combination of mechanical and pyrolysis technologies for plastic
recycling improved several impact categories. However, a trade-off exists for a few impact categories.
Finally, using 2030 and 2050 forecasts of electricity grids revealed lifecycle CO2 emissions for BEVs to
be 50% and 56% lower than ICE, respectively.
must be accompanied by technological innovations that eliminate ecological hotspots over the
vehicle’s lifetime. Additionally, the lifetime costs of electric vehicles must be reduced. This study uses
the battery electric vehicle sustainability impact assessment model (BEVSIM) to analyse the effects of
potential changes in recycled plastic content and its waste treatment, electricity grid, and the price of
battery electric vehicles. Using recycled content in plastic parts improved their environmental
performance in all categories except land use; e.g. using 40% recycled plastic reduced 107 kg CO2 eq.
per passenger vehicle. Applying a combination of mechanical and pyrolysis technologies for plastic
recycling improved several impact categories. However, a trade-off exists for a few impact categories.
Finally, using 2030 and 2050 forecasts of electricity grids revealed lifecycle CO2 emissions for BEVs to
be 50% and 56% lower than ICE, respectively.
Topics
TNO Identifier
1013906
Source
Sustainable Mobility and Transport, 2, pp. 1-10.
Article nr.
18
Pages
1-10