Life cycle impacts of electrified vehicles considering use behavior and battery aging

Abstract

This study assesses in depth the environmental impacts of electrified vehicles considering Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) as the most complex case, emphasizing the role of driving behavior, charging habits, and battery aging. By modeling realistic daily and annual mileage patterns, the study captures the variability in PHEV use and its significant effect on emissions. A comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment compares PHEVs, Battery Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Electric Vehicles, and Conventional Vehicles, using electricity mixes from France and Germany. The results show that electrifying vehicles allows consistent reductions for certain impact categories, as Global Warning Potential. However, it is strongly dependent on the electricity mix and electrified vehicles present higher values for certain other impact categories. The last part studies the influence of increasing battery size related to battery aging. Larger batteries may slightly extend vehicle lifespan, but their added production impacts often outweigh environmental gains.