scholarly journals A Life Cycle Environmental Impact Comparison between Traditional, Hybrid, and Electric Vehicles in the European Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10992
Author(s):  
Emiliano Pipitone ◽  
Salvatore Caltabellotta ◽  
Leonardo Occhipinti
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Scenario Analysis ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Life Cycle Approach ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Entire Life

Global warming (GW) and urban pollution focused a great interest on hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as cleaner alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). The environmental impact related to the use of both ICEV and HEV mainly depends on the fossil fuel used by the thermal engines, while, in the case of the BEV, depends on the energy sources employed to produce electricity. Moreover, the production phase of each vehicle may also have a relevant environmental impact, due to the manufacturing processes and the materials employed. Starting from these considerations, the authors carried out a fair comparison of the environmental impact generated by three different vehicles characterized by different propulsion technology, i.e., an ICEV, an HEV, and a BEV, following the life cycle analysis methodology, i.e., taking into account five different environmental impact categories generated during all phases of the entire life of the vehicles, from raw material collection and parts production, to vehicle assembly and on-road use, finishing hence with the disposal phase. An extensive scenario analysis was also performed considering different electricity mixes and vehicle lifetime mileages. The results of this study confirmed the importance of the life cycle approach for the correct determination of the real impact related to the use of passenger cars and showed that the GW impact of a BEV during its entire life amounts to roughly 60% of an equivalent ICEV, while acidifying emissions and particulate matter were doubled. The HEV confirmed an excellent alternative to ICEV, showing good compromise between GW impact (85% with respect to the ICEV), terrestrial acidification, and particulate formation (similar to the ICEV). In regard to the mineral source deployment, a serious concern derives from the lithium-ion battery production for BEV. The results of the scenario analysis highlight how the environmental impact of a BEV may be altered by the lifetime mileage of the vehicle, and how the carbon footprint of the electricity used may nullify the ecological advantage of the BEV.

scholarly journals The Comparative Assessment of Effects on the Power System and Environment of Selected Electric Transport Means in Poland

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4556
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Markowska ◽  
Józef Flizikowski ◽  
Kazimierz Bieliński ◽  
Andrzej Tomporowski ◽  
Weronika Kruszelnicka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Power System ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Electric Transport ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Electric Cars

Currently, electric vehicles are a rapidly growing alternative to those with combustion engines and can contribute to reduction of CO2 emissions in the transport sector, especially when the energy to power electric motors is predominantly derived from renewable sources. Until now, the comparison of environmental impact and influence of electric transport means on the power systems was not fully addressed in the case of Poland. The purpose of the study is to describe, analyse and assess electric vehicles (EV) operation against performance indicators in Poland, especially the influence of electric transport means (ETM) (electric cars, trams, trolley buses and buses) on power system and environment. The influence on the power system was investigated for the Polish National Powers system using the simulation of different scenarios of loads generated by EV charging. The energy demand of the National Power System and daily load variability indices were determined. Based on the data of ETM powers consumption and emissions of energy production, the emissions of harmful gases per one km and per one person were calculated, as well as the financial outlays for energy necessary to drive 1 km per 1 passenger. To assess and compare the environmental impact of the selected ETM life cycle, the life cycle assessment method was used. The results of environmental impacts were determined for selected assessment methods: CML 2 and IPCC 2013 GWP 100. The functional unit in this study is one selected ETM with a service life of 100,000 km. Comparison of trams, trolley buses, buses and electric passenger cars indicates that most beneficial are electric buses which do not need rails or overhead lines, thus investment costs are lower.

scholarly journals Optimal vehicle size and driving condition for extended-range electric vehicles in China: A life cycle perspective

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0241967
Author(s):  
Yongtao Liu ◽  
Jie Qiao ◽  
Haibo Xu ◽  
Jiahui Liu ◽  
Yisong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Scenario Analysis ◽  
Fossil Energy ◽  
Extended Range ◽  
Driving Condition ◽  
Vehicle Size

Many researchers use life cycle assessment methodology to investigate the energy and environmental impacts of energy-saving and new energy vehicles. However, in the context of China, the life cycle energy-saving and emission-reduction effects of extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), and the optimal applicable vehicle size and driving conditions for EREVs have been rarely studied. In this study, based on the life cycle assessment theory, the resource consumption, energy exhaustion, and environmental impact of EREVs were comprehensively analyzed. In addition, a differential evaluation model of ecological benefits was established for comparing EREVs with other vehicles with different power sources. Finally, scenario analysis was performed in terms of different vehicle sizes and driving conditions. The results have shown that EREV has great advantages in reducing mineral resource consumption and fossil energy consumption. The consumption of mineral resources of EREV is 14.68% lower than that of HEV, and the consumption of fossil energy is 34.72% lower than that of ICEV. In terms of environmental impact, EREV lies in the middle position. The scenario analysis has revealed that, for EREV in China, the optimal vehicle size is the passenger car and the optimal driving condition is the suburban condition. This work helps to understand the environmental performance of EREVs in China and may provide a decision-making reference for the government.

scholarly journals Advances of 2nd Life Applications for Lithium Ion Batteries from Electric Vehicles Based on Energy Demand

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5726
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Wewer ◽  
Pinar Bilge ◽  
Franz Dietrich
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Lithium Ion Batteries ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Electromobility is a new approach to the reduction of CO2 emissions and the deceleration of global warming. Its environmental impacts are often compared to traditional mobility solutions based on gasoline or diesel engines. The comparison pertains mostly to the single life cycle of a battery. The impact of multiple life cycles remains an important, and yet unanswered, question. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate advances of 2nd life applications for lithium ion batteries from electric vehicles based on their energy demand. Therefore, it highlights the limitations of a conventional life cycle analysis (LCA) and presents a supplementary method of analysis by providing the design and results of a meta study on the environmental impact of lithium ion batteries. The study focuses on energy demand, and investigates its total impact for different cases considering 2nd life applications such as (C1) material recycling, (C2) repurposing and (C3) reuse. Required reprocessing methods such as remanufacturing of batteries lie at the basis of these 2nd life applications. Batteries are used in their 2nd lives for stationary energy storage (C2, repurpose) and electric vehicles (C3, reuse). The study results confirm that both of these 2nd life applications require less energy than the recycling of batteries at the end of their first life and the production of new batteries. The paper concludes by identifying future research areas in order to generate precise forecasts for 2nd life applications and their industrial dissemination.

scholarly journals The Development of Strategies to Reduce Exhaust Emissions from Passenger Cars in Rzeszow City—Poland. A Preliminary Assessment of the Results Produced by the Increase of E-Fleet

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1046
Author(s):  
Maksymilian Mądziel ◽  
Tiziana Campisi ◽  
Artur Jaworski ◽  
Giovanni Tesoriere
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Exhaust Emissions ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Particulate Concentration ◽  
The Impact

Urban agglomerations close to road infrastructure are particularly exposed to harmful exhaust emissions from motor vehicles and this problem is exacerbated at road intersections. Roundabouts are one of the most popular intersection designs in recent years, making traffic flow smoother and safer, but especially at peak times they are subject to numerous stop-and-go operations by vehicles, which increase the dispersion of emissions with high particulate matter rates. The study focused on a specific area of the city of Rzeszow in Poland. This country is characterized by the current composition of vehicle fleets connected to combustion engine vehicles. The measurement of the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) by means of a preliminary survey campaign in the vicinity of the intersection made it possible to assess the impact of vehicle traffic on the dispersion of pollutants in the air. The present report presents some strategies to be implemented in the examined area considering a comparison of current and project scenarios characterized both by a modification of the road geometry (through the introduction of a turbo roundabout) and the composition of the vehicular flow with the forthcoming diffusion of electric vehicles. The study presents an exemplified methodology for comparing scenarios aimed at optimizing strategic choices for the local administration and also shows the benefits of an increased electric fleet. By processing the data with specific tools and comparing the scenarios, it was found that a conversion of 25% of the motor vehicles to electric vehicles in the current fleet has reduced the concentration of PM10 by about 30% along the ring road, has led to a significant reduction in the length of particulate concentration of the motorway, and it has also led to a significant reduction in the length of the particulate concentration for the access roads to the intersection.

scholarly journals Separation and Efficient Recovery of Lithium from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1091
Author(s):  
Eva Gerold ◽  
Stefan Luidold ◽  
Helmut Antrekowitsch
Keyword(s):  
Lithium Ion Batteries ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Sodium Phosphate ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Potassium Phosphate ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Rechargeable Batteries ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Efficient Recovery

The consumption of lithium has increased dramatically in recent years. This can be primarily attributed to its use in lithium-ion batteries for the operation of hybrid and electric vehicles. Due to its specific properties, lithium will also continue to be an indispensable key component for rechargeable batteries in the next decades. An average lithium-ion battery contains 5–7% of lithium. These values indicate that used rechargeable batteries are a high-quality raw material for lithium recovery. Currently, the feasibility and reasonability of the hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries is still a field of research. This work is intended to compare the classic method of the precipitation of lithium from synthetic and real pregnant leaching liquors gained from spent lithium-ion batteries with sodium carbonate (state of the art) with alternative precipitation agents such as sodium phosphate and potassium phosphate. Furthermore, the correlation of the obtained product to the used type of phosphate is comprised. In addition, the influence of the process temperature (room temperature to boiling point), as well as the stoichiometric factor of the precipitant, is investigated in order to finally enable a statement about an efficient process, its parameter and the main dependencies.

scholarly journals Prospective Environmental Impacts of Passenger Cars under Different Energy and Steel Production Scenarios

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6236
Author(s):  
Michael Samsu Koroma ◽  
Nils Brown ◽  
Giuseppe Cardellini ◽  
Maarten Messagie
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Reduction Potential ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Direct Reduction ◽  
Steel Production ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Co2 Intensity

The potential environmental impacts of producing and using future electric vehicles (EVs) are important given their expected role in mitigating global climate change and local air pollutants. Recently, studies have begun assessing the effect of potential future changes in EVs supply chains on overall environmental performance. This study contributes by integrating expected changes in future energy, iron, and steel production in the life cycle assessment (LCA) of EVs. In this light, the study examines the impacts of changes in these parameters on producing and charging future EVs. Future battery electric vehicles (BEV) could have a 36–53% lower global warming potential (GWP) compared to current BEV. The change in source of electricity generation accounts for 89% of GWP reductions over the BEV’s life cycle. Thus, it presents the highest GWP reduction potential of 35–48%. The use of hydrogen for direct reduction of iron in steelmaking (HDR-I) is expected to reduce vehicle production GWP by 17% compared to current technology. By accounting for 9% of the life cycle GWP reductions, HDR-I has the second-highest reduction potential (1.3–4.8%). The results also show that the potential for energy efficiency improvement measures for GWP reduction in vehicle and battery manufacture would be more beneficial when applied now than in the distant future (2050), when the CO2 intensity of the EU electricity is expected to be lower. Interestingly, under the same conditions, the high share of renewable energy in vehicle supply chains contributed to a decrease in all air pollution-related impact categories, but an increase in toxicity-related categories, as well as land use and water consumption.

scholarly journals Methodology for the quantification of concrete sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 01006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Břetislav Teplý ◽  
Tomáš Vymazal ◽  
Pavla Rovnaníková
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Load Bearing Capacity ◽  
Sustainability Management

Efficient sustainability management requires the use of tools which allow material, technological and construction variants to be quantified, measured or compared. These tools can be used as a powerful marketing aid and as support for the transition to “circular economy”. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) procedures are also used, aside from other approaches. LCA is a method that evaluates the life cycle of a structure from the point of view of its impact on the environment. Consideration is given also to energy and raw material costs, as well as to environmental impact throughout the life cycle - e.g. due to emissions. The paper focuses on the quantification of sustainability connected with the use of various types of concrete with regard to their resistance to degradation. Sustainability coefficients are determined using information regarding service life and "eco-costs". The aim is to propose a suitable methodology which can simplify decision-making in the design and choice of concrete mixes from a wider perspective, i.e. not only with regard to load-bearing capacity or durability.

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