The e-Mission.

Definitions and Validation.

Behind the Scenes. Environmental Data.

Collecting environmental data calls for detective work and the detectives in this case work for Volkswagen Environmental Research. In The e-Mission we not only present their findings but also aim to show how they arrived at them.

Facts, not fiction.

Life Cycle Assessment A Life Cycle Assessment or LCA identifies and evaluates all the inputs (resources and energy) and outputs (emissions and energy) from and into the environment resulting from the manufacture, use phase and recycling of a product.

Scope of assessment The scope of this assessment was defined in such a way that all relevant processes and materials are considered and traced back to the furthest possible extent by modelling them at the level of elementary flows in accordance with ISO 14040. This means that only material and energy flows taken from or released into the environment without previous or subsequent human transformation exceed the scope of the assessment. The only exceptions to this rule are the material fractions formed at the recycling stage. Environmental impact categories In the Life Cycle Assessment all material streams from manufacturing, use phase and recycling are assigned to the appropriate environmental impact category. In the course of an LCA for an electric vehicle, global warming potential (GWP) is considered a particularly relevant environmental impact. Findings for other established impact categories lead essentially to the same conclusions and do not contradict the results of the present study. Other impact categories were discussed during the audit by independent experts and found to be of no relevance to the purpose of this study.

Presentation of findings In the Life Cycle Assessment for an electric vehicle, the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the manufacture, service life (of 150,000 km) and recycling of the vehicle are determined. Taking of grams per kilometre. the vehicle mileage into consideration, the CO2 emissions thus determined are presented in terms

g CO2/km

CO2 equivalents

CO2

The metric behind the presentation of CO2 emissions in this brochure is CO2 equivalents. All sub-

25 times higher than CO2. In concrete terms this means that the emission of 1 kg of CO2 and 1 kg of to global warming are measured in this way.

stances that contribute to the greenhouse effect (global warming potential) are converted into CO2 equivalents using an equivalence factor. Methane (CH4), for example, has a global warming potential CH4 leads to a net global warming potential of 26 kg of CO2 equivalents. All emissions that contribute

Use phase & electrical energy

88

g CO2/km

For the use phase, all the relevant processes are modelled, from the production of raw materials to electricity generation and the actual operation of the vehicle. The 88 g CO2/km indicated represent an avecated also relates to the EU, showing a mean value for a wind energy mix. Given the different sizes of the wind energy farms and capacity uptake, mean values of up to 2.8 g CO2/km are possible for wind energy in individual EU member states. The figures of 112 and 184 g CO2/km given on page 6 are average values for electricity generation in Germany and the Peoples Republic of China respectively in 2008. The manufacturing phase The Life Cycle Assessment for the manufacturing phase of the e-vehicle takes in all of its components and individual parts. An LCA model is drawn up using parts list data such as number of units, materials and weights. The energy, consumables and other upstream products used to produce the raw materials and manufacture the semi-finished goods and components round off what is a complex model. rage value for the electricity mix of the EU member states for the year 2008. The 1 g CO2/km value indi-

74

g CO2/km

Vehicle recycling The modelling of the recycling phase for the vehicle (not including its lithium-ion battery) is drawn up using the cut-off approach. This means that while the impacts of recycling processes are included in the Life Cycle Assessment, no environmental impact credits are awarded for secondary raw materials produced. Battery recycling The LCA model of the recycling phase for the lithium-ion battery is drawn up as follows taking account of the findings of the LithoRec project (a lithium-ion battery recycling project sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of the Environment): the recycling ratios for the materials recovered and the energy expended in the recycling process are input into the Volkswagen LCA model. Unlike in the vehicle recycling process where a cut-off approach is adopted, here environmental impact credits are awarded. In particular, this is to underline the importance of the raw materials employed (such as cobalt), and reflect the potential impact of the recycling of a lithium-ion battery on the Life Cycle Assessment.

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3

Environmental credits If a secondary raw material is made available, there is no need to extract the primary raw material. Consequently, the system is awarded a credit for providing the secondary raw material, although any environmental impacts associated with the recycling process itself are deducted from this credit.

g CO2/km

Practical Tests and Prototypes. The Vehicle Data.

A limited-production electric vehicle from the Volkswagen Group will take to the roads in 2012. For the typical model studied here, we used concrete data resulting from tests, practical experience and e-vehicle prototypes within the company.

A whole new electric ball game.

Electric car We analysed a typical electric compact-class car (A segment, e.g. Volkswagen Golf).

Output and consumption Output in kW (electric motor): 85 kW Consumption in kWh (incl. charging losses): 18.0 kWh/100 km. Traction battery 26.9 kWh lithium-ion battery (nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC)).

Components specific to models with electric traction The components on which the LCA is based are at prototype status. The assumed weights and material concepts of the components are based on our own research, as well as on dialogue with our business partners. For all components that correspond to the standard equipment of a conventional model, the vehicle parts lists provide a key source of the relevant product data.

The e-Mission is based on a detailed Life Cycle Assessment in line with ISO 14040/44, validated by independent experts, in this case from TV NORD, Braunschweig University of Technology and PE International. Accordingly, it is not only individual environmental aspects such as the driving emissions of a vehicle that are investigated, but the entire life cycle of the electric vehicle. This means that all processes are studied from the manufacturing and use phase, all the way to recycling or in other words from cradle to grave.

In Black and White. Validation.

 Volkswagen Group Group Research Environmental Affairs Product in cooperation with Group Electric Traction P.O. Box 011/1774 38436 Wolfsburg Germany www.volkswagenag.com/sustainability 07/2012