An Efficient Concept to Integrate Traffic Activity Dynamics into Fleet LCAs

Sokratis Mamarikas, Zissis Samaras and Leonidas Ntziachristos ()
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Sokratis Mamarikas: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Zissis Samaras: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Leonidas Ntziachristos: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: This paper addresses the underrepresentation of traffic activity in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) practice despite its critical influence on the energy and environmental footprint of both electrified and conventional vehicles. To bridge this gap, the paper proposes a new framework that enhances the integration of traffic dynamics into fleet LCAs while maintaining computational simplicity. The approach combines Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams (MFDs), which estimate network-level traffic performance, with an average-speed-based emissions model to evaluate on-road energy use and emissions performance of traffic. This quantification is further extended by applying life cycle inventory emission factors to account for upstream and downstream impacts, including energy production, vehicle manufacturing, and end-of-life treatment. The framework is demonstrated through a case study involving urban traffic networks in Zurich and Thessaloniki. Results illustrate the method’s capacity to evaluate multiple vehicles within realistic flow scenarios and adaptability to variable traffic conditions, offering a practical and scalable tool for improved energy and environmental assessment of road transport fleets.

Keywords: life cycle analysis; fleet LCA; macroscopic fundamental diagram; average speed approach; traffic activity dynamics; traffic emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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