The transport of goods in the urban environment: A comparative life cycle assessment of electric, compressed natural gas and diesel light-duty vehicles

A comparative environmental assessment of electric and traditional light-duty vehicles has been performed in the present study. The analysis has focused on an aspect that has often been overlooked in electric mobility Life Cycle Assessments: the transport of goods in urban environments. The analysis has been performed using primary data from the manufacturer for the production of light-duty vehicles and an ad hoc kinematic model for the use phase. This study has ironed out most of the comparison inequalities that arise in a comparative Life Cycle Assessments of vehicles, comparing three light-duty vehicles, which only differ as far as the powertrain configuration is concerned, during a specific function (the delivery of goods in urban environments), where they have resulted to be mutually interchangeable. The electric motor presents advantages in urban environments, because of the numerous stops and regenerative braking that take place during urban deliveries. Its good performance emerges as the load of the vehicle is increased, thus making the comparison with Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles particularly favourable for Electric Vehicles when it comes to the delivery of goods. During the life cycle of the vehicle, these aspects compensate for the higher impacts of Cumulative Energy Demand, Global Warming, Abiotic Depletion - fossil fuels and Photochemical Oxidation that arise from the production of the electric vehicle. These advantages remain negligible in impact categories driven by resource consumption and manufacturing activities, such as abiotic depletion, acidification and eutrophication. Electric mobility is still hindered in these categories by the cumbersome role of batteries.