Establishing a harmonised framework for life cycle impact assessment: consensus for zero emission vehicles

Abstract

Purpose This study focuses on developing a harmonized Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methodology tailored for Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) within the European context. It also addresses the need for consistency, transparency, and scientific robustness across environmental impact assessments of ZEVs. Methods A structured three-step consensus-building process comprising state-of-the-art review, recommendation formulation, and stakeholder voting was implemented. This included expert input from academia, industry, and policy, supported by data from key LCA studies databases and software’s. Results and discussion Through stakeholder voting, seven impact categories including climate change, particulate matter, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical ozone formation and cumulative energy demand (CED) are defined as mandatory together with hydrogen emission flow. Normalisation using planetary boundary-based factors are recommended, while weighting was excluded due to its subjective nature. Optional impact categories and areas requiring further development, such as dissipation and biodiversity, are also discussed and recommendations made. Conclusions and recommendations The proposed framework establishes a robust, transparent, and science-driven LCIA framework for ZEVs. It enables consistency in environmental evaluations and informs policy and industry practices. Future revisions should incorporate emerging indicators and evolving data quality improvements.

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