Life Cycle Assessment of an Average German Battery Electric Vehicle

This book aims at quantifying the environmental burdens caused by an average German battery electric vehicle (BEV) throughout its entire life cycle. For this purpose, first, the technical components of a battery electric vehicle are discussed in detail. Based on this, a vehicle is defined that represents the registered BEVs in Germany. The next section addresses the method used for quantifying environmental burdens named life cycle assessment (LCA). Subsequently, the method is applied to the average German BEV. The impacts of a BEV on the environment are assessed considering two scenarios: the first scenario involves the present energy generation structure, whereas the second scenario assumes an energy generation structure based on renewable energy sources. The focus of the assessment is on global warming with a time horizon of 100 years, acidification, photochemical ozone formation, and resource use of energy carriers. The results of the assessment point out the impacts originating from the production, use, and end of life phase of an average German BEV. In addition, the sensitivities of the results on specifications like energy consumption or battery lifetime are examined. The book is addressed to professionals, students, and interested non-professionals.