By examining the environmental impacts of vehicles across their entire lifecycle, ESCALATE is developing essential tools for policymakers and industry, supporting the transition to sustainable, zero-emission heavy-duty fleets on a large scale. We give you the insights!

The Future of Heavy-Duty Fleets: BEVs and FCEVs

The transition to battery electric (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) is expected to drastically reduce tailpipe CO2 emissions in future heavy-duty fleets. However, the real challenge lies in addressing emissions across the entire lifecycle of vehicles—beyond just tailpipe emissions. Ongoing discussions explore how to include upstream and downstream impacts, as well as use-phase emissions, in environmental policies and regulations.

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA): A Comprehensive Approach

Vehicle level LCA

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) provides a complete methodology for assessing vehicle environmental impacts by accounting for emissions generated throughout the entire lifecycle—encompassing production, use-phase energy consumption, maintenance, and end-of-life disposal. A globally unified automotive LCA approach is essential to identify hidden or indirect sources of CO2 emissions, highlight differences in the environmental performance of various powertrains, and support global sustainable development, including the EU’s Green Deal goals.

ESCALATE’s Role in Developing Harmonised LCA

ESCALATE is at the forefront of efforts to develop a harmonised LCA approach for zero-emission vehicles. The project’s partners have already completed evaluations of LCA tools and databases, with the LCA for a reference vehicle now complete. At present, pilot-specific data is being gathered to create a life cycle inventory. This, along with existing literature data, will help carry out the initial assessment of life cycle impacts for all pilots in the coming months.

Generating Critical Data from Pilot Projects

ESCALATE’s pilot projects are key to generating vital data on energy use, vehicle performance, and emissions. This data will feed back into the initial LCA model to further refine it. The pilots will also offer insights into infrastructure needs for the widespread adoption of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), such as the availability of charging stations and hydrogen refuelling networks. In parallel, digital twins are being developed to simulate real-world conditions, including variations in traffic, vehicle speeds, and energy use profiles.

Shifting LCA from Single Vehicles to Entire Fleets

In addition to single-vehicle analysis, ESCALATE is pioneering the transition towards fleet-based LCA. This shift is crucial from a policy perspective, as it enables a more accurate assessment of fleet-wide emissions at both national and European levels. It also allows for a more effective evaluation of the impact of current and future interventions in the transport sector.

The Fleet-Based LCA Model

Fleet-level LCA

ESCALATE’s fleet-based LCA model considers newly registered, existing, and de-registered vehicles. It quantifies emissions reductions as BEV and FCEV technologies become more widespread, and as the carbon intensity of electricity generation decreases over time. An initial assessment of the additional data needed for this transition has been completed, and the next steps involve gathering fleet data and developing a framework for a fleet-based LCA.

A Vital Tool for Policymakers and Industry

As ESCALATE continues to refine its LCA methodologies, it is becoming an essential tool for policymakers and industry stakeholders alike. This data-driven approach supports more informed decision-making and enables the large-scale transition to zero-emission logistics. By offering the ability to assess the cumulative environmental impact of entire fleets, ESCALATE provides a more accurate and holistic understanding of the transportation sector’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions—an essential step towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.