Decarbonization Potentials for Automotive Supply Chains: Emission-Intensity Pathways of Carbon-Intensive Hotspots of Battery Electric Vehicles

Justus Poschmann (), Vanessa Bach and Matthias Finkbeiner
Additional contact information
Justus Poschmann: Volkswagen AG, Group Strategy Sustainability, Berliner Ring 2, 38440 Wolfsburg, Germany
Vanessa Bach: Chair of Sustainable Engineering, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Matthias Finkbeiner: Chair of Sustainable Engineering, Institute of Environmental Technology, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-20

Abstract: To keep global warming below 1.5 °C, the road transport sector must decrease its emissions by substituting internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) with battery electric vehicles (BEV). As BEVs can be operated with renewable electricity, the CO 2−eq emissions of the supply chain are relevant for future mitigation. The aim of this paper is to derive emission-intensity pathways and to determine the decarbonization impact regarding the lifecycle emissions of BEVs. Therefore, an analysis for steel, aluminum, battery cells, plastic, and glass, and an evaluation of the literature containing present emission intensities (e.g., for steel 1.7 tCO 2 /t to 2.8 tCO 2 /t) and reduction potentials, were performed. Based on low-carbon electricity, circular materials, and recycling, as well as technological improvements, emission intensities can be decreased by 69% to 91% by 2050. As a result, the carbon footprint of the reviewed vehicles can be reduced by 47% for supply chain emissions, whereas 25% to 37% of the total lifecycle emissions remain. Considering the scenario studied, BEVs cannot be decarbonized aligned to the 1.5 °C pathway using only avoidance and reduction measures until 2050. Consequently, the application of carbon removals is necessary. However, the applied trajectory and extrapolation relies on material availability and does not consider abatement costs.

Keywords: emission-intensity pathway; industrial decarbonization; automotive industry; battery electric vehicle; climate change mitigation; transport sector (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11795/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11795/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:11795-:d:1207727

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().