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WorldAutoSteel Calls for Shift in Vehicle Regulations
10/17/2011 - WorldAutoSteel believes that the basis of vehicle emissions regulations should be shifted from tailpipe emissions to a total life cycle assessment (LCA), which considers emissions from all aspects of a vehicle’s life, from material production to end-of-life-recycling.
WorldAutoSteel believes that the basis of vehicle emissions regulations should be shifted from tailpipe emissions to a total life cycle assessment (LCA), which considers emissions from all aspects of a vehicle’s life, from material production to end-of-life-recycling.
“When vehicle emissions assessment is focused solely on emissions produced during the driving phase (tailpipe), this encourages the use of greenhouse gas-intensive materials in an effort to reduce vehicle weight and fuel consumption,” said Cees ten Broek, WorldAutoSteel Director. “However, this may have the unintended consequence of increasing greenhouse gas emissions during the vehicle’s total life cycle.”
Alternative materials, such as aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber, reportedly produce emissions during their manufacture that are five to 20 times greater than steel.
The U.S. is currently examining further fuel economy and emissions requirements for 2017-2025. The mid-term review of EU legislation on emission standards for new cars is expected next year, and in many Asia Pacific countries vehicle-efficiency standards also are being assessed.
“Legislation that focuses only on one part of the vehicle’s life cycle will become immediately out of date as the electric vehicle becomes more prominent on the road,” said ten Broek. “We are only shifting the problem to other vehicle life cycle phases.”
WorldAutoSteel recently released results of a global steel industry initiative, the FutureSteelVehicle (FSV), which features fully engineered steel body structure designs for electrified vehicles that reduce total life cycle emissions by nearly 70% and vehicle weight by 35% compared to a benchmark.
WorldAutoSteel, the automotive group of the World Steel Association, is comprised of 17 major global steel producers from around the world. WorldAutoSteel’s mission is to advance and communicate steel’s unique ability to meet the automotive industry’s needs and challenges in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way.
