An LCA Evaluation for Passenger Cars based on the Comparison of Scenarios and Vehicles with Different Technologies

The LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology is nowadays considered fundamental for the estimation and analysis of the economic and social impacts coming from the CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) footprint. It is a methodology for evaluating the “environmental footprint” of the product, “from cradle to grave” and it is carried out by quantifying the impacts deriving from both the use of resources and emissions into the environment. The aim of this study is to contribute to environmental assessment in the context of the sustainability of vehicular transport in urban areas. For this reason, through a comparative analysis of the LCA it is possible to evaluate the CO2 emissions deriving from cars during real use and relating to the entire life of the vehicles. Three comparisons were made considering pairs made up of an electric vehicle and an internal combustion vehicle of the same segment and category: small city cars, mid-size and SUV. In the development of the work, various articles have been studied related to the methodology for the overall impact in terms of CO2 equivalent and to categorized into the specific contributions. On a global scale, the overall impact can be divided into several main macro components: the Well To Tank (WTT) phase, which encompasses the processes involved in supplying primary energy to the vehicle, such as fossil fuel extraction, biofuel production, electricity generation, and distribution, before its consumption by the vehicle; the Tank To Wheels (TTW) phase, which evaluates the vehicle's performance after refueling; and the phase that considers the environmental implications of vehicle production, including manufacturing and disposal processes for all components involved. The variability of the results obtained from the analysis of EU and USA scenarios, based on energy trends, on combustion mobility, and on the battery replacement life for BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) is decisively influenced by the factors considered.