A Narrative Review of Life Cycle Assessments of Electric Vehicles: Methodological Challenges and Global Implications

Monika Zajemska, Anna Biniek-Poskart (), Andrzej Skibiński, Magdalena Skrzyniarz and Jakub Rzącki
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Monika Zajemska: Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Częstochowa University of Technology, 19 Armii Krajowej Ave., 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland
Anna Biniek-Poskart: Faculty of Management, Częstochowa University of Technology, 19B Armii Krajowej Ave., 42-201 Częstochowa, Poland
Andrzej Skibiński: Faculty of Management, Częstochowa University of Technology, 19B Armii Krajowej Ave., 42-201 Częstochowa, Poland
Magdalena Skrzyniarz: Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Częstochowa University of Technology, 19 Armii Krajowej Ave., 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland
Jakub Rzącki: Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology, Częstochowa University of Technology, 19 Armii Krajowej Ave., 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-25

Abstract: Considering the rapid global shift towards electric mobility and the growing importance of life-cycle assessments (LCAs) in policy and investment decisions, a critical examination of the methodological challenges and broader implications of electric vehicle (EV) life-cycle assessments is both timely and necessary. While numerous studies have assessed the environmental impacts of EVs using LCA, there remains a lack of consolidated insight into how methodological inconsistencies, particularly in system boundaries, functional units, and data sources, affect the comparability and policy relevance of results. This article addresses this gap by presenting a narrative review of LCA applied to EVs, with a focus on methodological approaches and environmental impact categories. The review aims to synthesize current knowledge, identify prevailing research trends, and highlight key methodological challenges in the LCA of EVs. A structured search was conducted using the Scopus database, initially yielding 1926 publications through a broad search strategy. To improve relevance and reduce the number of marginally related articles, the search was refined to include only article titles, resulting in 187 studies selected for detailed analysis. The VOSviewer software was employed to perform bibliometric and co-occurrence analysis, revealing key clusters in the literature related to battery production, electricity mix, and recycling.

Keywords: battery electric vehicles (BEV); electric vehicles (EV); environmental impact; life cycle assessment (LCA); Scopus search strategy; sustainability; narrative review (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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