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Volvo Life Cycle Analysis of E-Cars: CO2 Savings After 110,000 km

Volvo wanted to know: The Swedes conducted a lifecycle analysis (LCA) according to international standards (ISO 14040 and 14044) based on the XC-40 electric and combustion models – with understandable results.

When calculating the CO2 emissions over the entire lifecycle of the XC-40 models, Volvo took off the "rose-colored glasses" and provided a well-founded comparison. | Photo: Volvo Cars
When calculating the CO2 emissions over the entire lifecycle of the XC-40 models, Volvo took off the "rose-colored glasses" and provided a well-founded comparison. | Photo: Volvo Cars
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Gregor Soller

The climate summit in Glasgow was an occasion for Volvo to once again compare the total CO2 emissions of electric cars and internal combustion engines. The result is honest but clear: over the entire lifecycle, the electric car is less CO2-intensive regardless of the electricity mix. Volvo used its own XC40 series (respectively C40), which is available purely electrically, with a combustion engine, and as a plug-in hybrid, as the basis for the comparison. CO2 emissions during the entire product life, from production to recycling, were included in the calculation. For this, Volvo utilized and evaluated a so-called lifecycle analysis (LCA) according to international standards (ISO 14040 and 14044). A presumed lifespan of 200,000 kilometers was used as the basis.

With green electricity, the electric Volvo fares much better

The result of the analysis after 200,000 kilometers of total mileage, including production and recycling, results in 44 or 42 tons of CO2 for the electric cars if they are charged with the EU electricity mix. If the electricity comes from renewable sources, the CO2 footprint drops to 27 tons. In contrast, the comparable XC 40 with a combustion engine emits 59 tons during this period. According to Volvo, the "break-even" point is reached at 110,000 kilometers, after which the combustion engine falls behind. And this is despite the fact that the production of the electric versions emits 70 percent more greenhouse gases than that of the XC40 with an internal combustion engine, and the unfavorable assumption that the electric Volvos charge their batteries with electricity based on the world's energy mix. However, since the CO2-unfavorable world electricity mix raises the total LCA emissions of the electric cars to 50 tons, the Swedes emphasize the importance of expanding renewable energy supplies.

Volvo bases its green electricity share on calculations of the International Energy Agency (IEA). According to the IEA, the global energy mix consists of a 25 percent share of renewable sources, while in the EU it is estimated at 43 percent. A brief aside: according to the IEA, Sweden is at 62 percent, while Germany is only at 35 percent.

The "CO2 backpack" of the electric car in production remains enormous

For electric cars, the electricity mix during the usage phase plays a very significant role, but they still carry a heavy "CO2 backpack" from production. At Volvo, this is almost 70 percent larger for the electric XC40s than for the combustion engines. Electric cars require more energy-intensive aluminum (for the battery housings), and the production of the batteries themselves is energy-intensive, especially the manufacturing of the electrodes. Volvo estimates that both account for about 30 percent of the CO2 footprint of all materials in the Recharge models. Therefore, the Recharge models only reach parity with the combustion engines after 110,000 kilometers.

Not only SUV coupes benefit massively from their better aerodynamics

Interestingly, the SUV-coupe C40 Recharge has a five percent smaller CO2 footprint over its entire lifecycle than the XC40 Recharge with a hatchback, as its design is more aerodynamically favorable and thus drives slightly more economically. This once again underscores the importance of aerodynamics, which Daimler recently took to the extreme with the EQS. However, using green electricity for driving would eliminate the CO2 emission difference between electric SUVs and SUV coupes.

Over time, however, the internal combustion engine increasingly suffers from stronger CO2 emissions, especially since fuel production, which is also energy-intensive, can hardly be "greened". On the other hand, a potential problem for electric cars could be the battery, as Mazda has already calculated for the MX30: If the battery needs to be replaced, the electric car’s balance sheet drops significantly again, a factor that weighs less heavily the smaller the battery is. Conversely, internal combustion engines also require various spare parts and oil changes over time, which negatively impact their balance sheet as well.

What does this mean?

Especially when powered by green electricity, Volvo's electric cars emit fewer greenhouse gas equivalents over a total life cycle of 200,000 kilometers than comparable combustion engines. And this is despite the fact that they start production with a 70 percent larger CO2 burden compared to combustion engines. But then they drive with lower CO2 emissions, even when using electricity that only 25 percent comes from renewable sources. The problem with combustion engines: The usage phase is longer and in total significantly more energy-intensive than manufacturing. Green electricity is important: According to Volvo, another 15 tons or almost 36 percent of CO2 can be saved compared to the electricity mix of the EU-28. In total, the Swedes have created an honest and comprehensible calculation – despite the still surprising size of the CO2 burden in the production of electric cars.

 

Translated automatically from German.
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