Many alternative powertrain options lead to a shift in environmental impacts compared to vehicles with conventional gasoline and diesel combustion engines. On the one hand side, the production of electric and fuel cell vehicles leads to higher environmental impacts due to the additional battery and fuel cell production. On the other hand side, environmental impacts at the tailpipe are avoided, but may be shifted to the energy supply chain, e.g. electricity generation. Synthetic fuels, in turn, which are produced by means of electricity („Power-to-Liquids“ / „Power-to-Gas“), require hardly any adjustments at the power train, the fuel production however, requires large quantities of electricity.
ifeu analyses and evaluates these shifts compared to conventional vehicles using a life cycle approach (life-cycle analysis (LCA)), thus including vehicle production, energy supply and end-of-life aspects. Not only greenhouse gas emissions, but also other environmental impacts and resulting use of resources are considered. Life cycle analyses are mostly carried out with our life-cycle assessment model “eLCAr”, which is continuously updated and further developed.
Contact
Hinrich Helms
Dipl. Geograph (graduate in geography)
+49 (0)6221 4767 33
hinrich.helms@ifeu.de
Julius Jöhrens
Dipl. Physiker (graduate in physics)
+49 (0)6221 4767 45
julius.joehrens@ifeu.de

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