Life cycle assessment of lightweight natural fibre/PP-composite side skirts for electric trucks

The transportation sector faces increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, yet current solutions incorporating plastics and steel are heavy and energy-intensive, contributing significantly to climate impact. A life cycle assessment (LCA) of the novel natural fibre/PP composite is presented in this paper. Truck exterior side panels, called side skirts, were used as a case study, where a concept design was manufactured and assessed, comparing it to the currently used plastic and steel solution. The novelty of this work lies in introducing natural fibre/PP composites for electric trucks as a sustainable lightweighting strategy, reducing fossil-based material use and enabling significant climate impact reductions across the life cycle. Key findings show that composite side skirts had 78 % lower climate impact compared to the current solution, which combines of plastic and steel. This calculation assumes the European electricity mix during the use phase, equal service life for both solutions, and cut-off allocation. The primary contribution to climate impact reduction was the decreased component mass (42.9 kg), which resulted in a 72 % reduction in energy demand during the use phase. However, this effect is strongly influenced by the electricity mix applied. In summary, natural fibre composites can be considered a promising alternative for replacing the existing energy intense solution. • LCA of a natural fibre/PP composite electric truck component • Weight reduction for the composite component compared to the conventional solution • Main hotspot was the use phase, though highly affected by electricity source • Cradle to gate hotspot was the production of materials in both solutions • Climate impact of the secondary material (pellets) from the recycling process