Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: A Physics-Based Model To Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption of Electrified Vehicles
Abstract
Assessing the life-cycle benefits of vehicle lightweighting requires a quantitative description of mass-induced fuel consumption (MIF) and fuel reduction values (FRVs). We have extended our physics-based model of MIF and FRVs for internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to electrified vehicles (EVs) including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). We illustrate the utility of the model by calculating MIFs and FRVs for 37 EVs and 13 ICEVs. BEVs have much smaller MIF and FRVs, both in the range 0.04-0.07 Le/(100 km 100 kg), than those for ICEVs which are in the ranges 0.19-0.32 and 0.16-0.22 L/(100 km 100 kg), respectively. The MIF and FRVs for HEVs and PHEVs mostly lie between those for ICEVs and BEVs. Powertrain resizing increases the FRVs for ICEVs, HEVs and PHEVs. Lightweighting EVs is less effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than lightweighting ICEVs, however the benefits differ substantially for different vehicle models. The physics-based approach outlined here enables model specific assessments for ICEVs, HEVs, PHEVs, and BEVs required to determine the optimal strategy for maximizing the life-cycle benefits of lightweighting the light-duty vehicle fleet.
- Authors:
-
- Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (United States). Materials and Manufacturing R&A Dept.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Magna/Vehma International Inc., Troy, MI (United States); Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1424998
- Grant/Contract Number:
- EE0005574
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Science and Technology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 50; Journal Issue: 20; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY; 33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
Citation Formats
Kim, Hyung Chul, and Wallington, Timothy J. Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: A Physics-Based Model To Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption of Electrified Vehicles. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b02059.
Kim, Hyung Chul, & Wallington, Timothy J. Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: A Physics-Based Model To Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption of Electrified Vehicles. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b02059
Kim, Hyung Chul, and Wallington, Timothy J. Wed .
"Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: A Physics-Based Model To Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption of Electrified Vehicles". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b02059. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1424998.
@article{osti_1424998,
title = {Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: A Physics-Based Model To Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption of Electrified Vehicles},
author = {Kim, Hyung Chul and Wallington, Timothy J.},
abstractNote = {Assessing the life-cycle benefits of vehicle lightweighting requires a quantitative description of mass-induced fuel consumption (MIF) and fuel reduction values (FRVs). We have extended our physics-based model of MIF and FRVs for internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to electrified vehicles (EVs) including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). We illustrate the utility of the model by calculating MIFs and FRVs for 37 EVs and 13 ICEVs. BEVs have much smaller MIF and FRVs, both in the range 0.04-0.07 Le/(100 km 100 kg), than those for ICEVs which are in the ranges 0.19-0.32 and 0.16-0.22 L/(100 km 100 kg), respectively. The MIF and FRVs for HEVs and PHEVs mostly lie between those for ICEVs and BEVs. Powertrain resizing increases the FRVs for ICEVs, HEVs and PHEVs. Lightweighting EVs is less effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than lightweighting ICEVs, however the benefits differ substantially for different vehicle models. The physics-based approach outlined here enables model specific assessments for ICEVs, HEVs, PHEVs, and BEVs required to determine the optimal strategy for maximizing the life-cycle benefits of lightweighting the light-duty vehicle fleet.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6b02059},
journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
number = 20,
volume = 50,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Wed Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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Works referenced in this record:
Life-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Benefits of Lightweighting in Automobiles: Review and Harmonization
journal, May 2013
- Kim, Hyung Chul; Wallington, Timothy J.
- Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 12
Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: A Physics-Based Model of Mass-Induced Fuel Consumption
journal, November 2013
- Kim, Hyung Chul; Wallington, Timothy J.
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Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: Novel Mathematical Methods to Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Commentary on “Correction to: On the calculation of fuel savings through lightweight design in automotive life cycle assessments” by Koffler and Rohde-Brandeburger (2018)
journal, February 2019
- Kim, Hyung Chul; Wallington, Timothy J.; Sullivan, John L.
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 24, Issue 3
Role of flying cars in sustainable mobility
journal, April 2019
- Kasliwal, Akshat; Furbush, Noah J.; Gawron, James H.
- Nature Communications, Vol. 10, Issue 1
Use of reactive nanostructured chemicals for refinement of Si eutectic in an aluminum casting alloy
journal, July 2019
- Lu, Yang; Godlewski, Larry A.; Zindel, Jacob W.
- Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 54, Issue 19
Role of flying cars in sustainable mobility
journal, April 2019
- Kasliwal, Akshat; Furbush, Noah J.; Gawron, James H.
- Nature Communications, Vol. 10, Issue 1