Study Highlights Importance of Life Cycle Emissions in Assessing Future Vehicles
06/29/2011 - A study just released by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership demonstrates that emissions other than tailpipe emissions are significant and need to be included in future vehicle regulations.
A just-released study shows that vehicle manufacturing emissions can represent 23 to 46% of total vehicle emissions, demonstrating that emissions other than tailpipe emissions are significant and need to be included in future vehicle regulations.
The study, “Preparing for a Life Cycle CO2 Measure”, was released by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LCVP), an advisory group working to accelerate the shift to low-carbon vehicles and fuels. It was conducted by global engineering firm Ricardo.
“While proposed future regulations only consider tailpipe emissions, the manufacturing and end-of-life phases are becoming increasingly significant factors in total vehicle emissions and should not be overlooked,” said Ron Krupitzer, Vice President, Automotive Market for the Steel Market Development Institute. “That’s why SMDI strongly supports making life cycle assessment (LCA) a part of vehicle design and regulatory processes moving forward. Consideration of the entire life cycle is key to ensuring that emissions from future vehicles are reduced.”
When life cycle emissions are considered, steel-intensive designs of future vehicles will provide the lowest total emissions thanks to advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which produce low emissions during material and vehicle manufacturing, especially as compared to other structural materials. According to the Partnership, AHSS grades reduce emissions during the driving phase and are 100% recyclable at the end of the vehicle’s life. Steel’s properties and value reflect one of the LCVP/Ricardo study conclusions, that LCA can drive reductions in both cost and carbon footprint.
“While proposed future regulations only consider tailpipe emissions, the manufacturing and end-of-life phases are becoming increasingly significant factors in total vehicle emissions and should not be overlooked,” said Ron Krupitzer, Vice President, Automotive Market for the Steel Market Development Institute. “That’s why SMDI strongly supports making life cycle assessment (LCA) a part of vehicle design and regulatory processes moving forward. Consideration of the entire life cycle is key to ensuring that emissions from future vehicles are reduced.”
When life cycle emissions are considered, steel-intensive designs of future vehicles will provide the lowest total emissions thanks to advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which produce low emissions during material and vehicle manufacturing, especially as compared to other structural materials. According to the Partnership, AHSS grades reduce emissions during the driving phase and are 100% recyclable at the end of the vehicle’s life. Steel’s properties and value reflect one of the LCVP/Ricardo study conclusions, that LCA can drive reductions in both cost and carbon footprint.
SMDI is actively pursuing the LCA approach through the FutureSteelVehicle (FSV) program, which demonstrates the design of a low-emitting vehicle on a life cycle assessment basis at essentially no additional cost. The FutureSteelVehicle is designed based on new materials and technologies overlapping the future regulatory period to reduce weight by 35% and life cycle emissions by nearly 70% over a benchmark vehicle. FutureSteelVehicle results will offer low emissions solutions to automakers at a time when vehicle emissions regulations are being strengthened.
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, grows and maintains the use of steel through strategies that promote cost-effective solutions in the automotive, construction and container markets, as well as for new growth opportunities in emerging steel markets.
SMDI Automotive Applications Council Investors include:
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, grows and maintains the use of steel through strategies that promote cost-effective solutions in the automotive, construction and container markets, as well as for new growth opportunities in emerging steel markets.
SMDI Automotive Applications Council Investors include:
· AK Steel Corp.
· ArcelorMittal Dofasco
· ArcelorMittal USA LLC
· Nucor Corp.
· Severstal North America Inc.
· ThyssenKrupp Steel USA, LLC
· United States Steel Corp.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. The Institute comprises 25 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 118 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.
