Environmental Impact Assessment of Electric Vehicles Amsterdam Sept. 2010; Electric Vehicles and Battery Applications Conference; Marcus Evans 1. Detailled Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a modern Li-ion traction Battery 2. Description of environmental impacts of electric cars vs. common cars 3. Design Aspects following sustainability criteria 4. The influence of different electricity mixes on the environmental impact of electric cars Foto: www.hypadrive.com 4 In-wheel motors (each 30 kg), > 400 HP / 160 km autonomy 1000 pounds (454kg) drivetrain components replaced by LiIon batteries (40kWh), Prototype for Tuning fare SEMA Las Vegas Nov 08 M. Gauch, R. Widmer, D. Notter, A. Stamp, H.J. Althaus, P. Wäger marcel.gauch@empa.ch TSL Technology and Society Lab @ EMPA Schweizerische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Focal study field: Options for future mobility Discussion about future driving systems: Agreement on principles, but disagreement on time horizons Optimisation of combustion engines Alternative fuels for combustion engines Hybridisation in any form: Parallel, serial, mild, full etc. On the longer term: -Switchto purely electric driving system because they are closest to the theoretical physical minimum - Extensive research on energy storage (especially H 2, batteries) graphics: Internet 17
Options for future mobility Basic principle independent of driving system: Efficiency Energy demand is influenced only by 4 factors: 1. Reduction of mass 2. Frontal area 3. Air friction resistance 4. Rolling resistance kg m 2 c w µ Example Golf-class: 12 kwh/100km traction energy at the wheels in avg. driving (1.2 Liter-equivalent) 100 wheel-power [kw] 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 Mountainbike Scooter Superbike liegend Enduro Mini-El Elektrofz 3-Rad Ligier Kleinauto Acabion Loremo Audi A2 3L-Version Golf V 2.0 TDI Mercedes SLR Mac Laren Porsche 911 Turbo 996 Ferrari Enzo Audi Q7 SUV Maybach Exelero Formel 1 38kW@120km/h 52HP 23kW@120km/h 31HP 20 10 3kW@120km/h 4HP 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 velocity [km/h] graphics: Empa 18
What you buy... graphics: Internet 19
... is not what you get! -> Prospective studies about future impacts are needed Foto: Delhi India -> Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool which helps to analyse these impacts 20
Life Cycle Assessment: The basic idea INPUT OUTPUT Raw Material Energy Auxiliaries Product entire lifecycle Product/Service Emissions Wastes & ecological assessment of flows 21
Vehicle Lifecycle: Example Energy Consumption Vehicle Production Operation Recycling Transport Gasoline Transport Assembly Transport Material recovery Chassis Motor Wheels Refinery Mining Suppliers Pipeline Infrastructure Oil Drill Fossil Energy use 22
Driving concepts Internal combustion engine (ICE) Biogas (Methane) from: biowaste (CH) Bioethanol (Alcohol) from: sugar cane (BR) wood waste (CH) Biodiesel (Methylester) from: palm oil (MY) Fossil fuels: natural gas gasoline diesel Electric drive with battery (BEV) nuklear CH (28 g/kwh (Dose)) PV-mix CH (74 g/kwh) avg. plug-mix CH (134 g/kwh) electricity from modern combined cycle heat and power plant (444 g/kwh (Dose)) avg plug-mix EU (UCTE, 593 g/kwh) coal power plant mix (1095 g/kwh (plug)) Hybrid (HEV) Prius gasoline Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Volt avg. plug-mix CH (134 g/kwh) gasoline fuels for cars can also be used for electricity production it s inefficient to produce fuel out of electricity (e.g. H2-Elektrolysis) 25
Life Cycle of a Li-Ion battery Recycling: Recycling today typically in Cu-smelter Cu, Mn, Co, Ni, Fe are recycled Li Al, Li, Graphite, and electrolyte are oxidised and lost in the process Technologies to regain Al and Li will be feasible if more Li-batteries will be available for recycling Al Cu Fe LCA of Li-Ion battery for electric mobility 28 28
Production of a Li-Ion battery Brines Li2CO3 active electrode material LiMn2O4 +binder+solvent Al foil coating Cathode winding/stacking assembly PE foil Separator Cell Battery Pack mining & refining of Al, Cu, Mn, C,... Cu foil Graphite +binder+solvent Ethylene carbonate + LiPF6 Anode coating Electrolyte filling/sealing Enclosure Electronics, BMS Wires & Connectors Cu foil is coated with graphite anode Al foil is coated with Li Mn 2 O 4 cathode Anode and cathode are stacked (separated by ion-permeable plastic foil) and folded The Stack is packed in a bag which is filled with electrolyte (Li-salt solution) and sealed cell Many cells are packed in an enclosure and electrically connected to a battery management system (BMS) battery graphics: Empa 33
Car production ICE Vehicle Battery Vehicle Body and Frame, Axle, Brakes, Wheels, Bumpers, Cockpit, A/C System, Seats, Doors, Lights Entertainment etc. Glider Body and Frame, Axle, Brakes, Wheels, Bumpers, Cockpit, A/C System, Seats, Doors, Lights Entertainment etc. Glider Drivetrain Engine, Gearbox, Cooling System, Fuel System, Starting System, Exhaust System, Lubrication etc. Drivetrain El. Motor, Gearbox, Controller, Charger, Cables, Cooling System etc. Li-Ion battery 300 kg Battery 36
Results: Battery EI99 H/A CED n.r. GWP 100a AP Environmental burden (%) 100 80 60 40 20 0 Cathode Anode Battery Rest LiMn2O4 Al Rest Graphite Cu Anode Cathode Battery Anode Cathode Battery Anode Cathode Battery Anode Cathode Lithium salt Ethylene carbonate Cathode Rest cathode Lithium manganese oxide Aluminium Separator Anode Rest anode Graphite Copper Single cell Battery pack Anode and cathode important (50-80%) Cu foil of anode up to 43%; Al foil of cathode up to 20% Battery pack (steel case, BMS and wiring) not negligible (20-30%) Lithium salts (in cathode and electrolyte) contribute only 10-20% Contribution of Li-Ion Batteries to the Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles. Dominic A. Notter*, Marcel Gauch, Rolf Widmer, Patrick Wäger, Anna Stamp, Rainer Zah and Hans-Jörg Althaus Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP, Publication Date (Web): August 9, 2010; DOI: 10.1021/es903729a 38
Results: Mobility BEV ICEV AP BEV ICEV GWP 100a BEV ICEV CED BEV ICEV EI 99 H/A 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 20 40% Environmental burden (%) 5 15% 45 80% Road Glider Drive-train Maintenance, disposal car Li-ion battery Operation Contribution of Li-Ion Batteries to the Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles. Dominic A. Notter*, Marcel Gauch, Rolf Widmer, Patrick Wäger, Anna Stamp, Rainer Zah and Hans-Jörg Althaus Environ. Sci. Technol., Article ASAP, Publication Date (Web): August 9, 2010; DOI: 10.1021/es903729a 39
Battery design considerations: Factors affecting scarce metals supply (1/5) Reserves / Reserve Base How much is available? Economic assumptions? Geological abundance Resource base? 44
Battery design considerations: Factors affecting scarce metals supply (1/5) Reserves / Reserve Base Example: Lithium - concentration decreasing over time - energy requirement increasing over time? Resource base? Lithium resource [10 6 t Li] Weighted average Li concentration [mass ppm] Energy demand [kwh / t Li] ratio rel. to brines Brines 52.3 1 100 9.8 x 10 4 1 Ores 11.7 4 600 4.4 x 10 5 4.5 Sea Water - direct extraction - desalination plant 224 000 0.17 5.6 x 10 7 571 2.8 x 10 7 286 COST in terms of -energy -USD to transform the Li from the biosphere to the technosphere? Recycling growing over time undefined 3.7 x 10 5 3.8 MODELLING LONG-TERM GLOBAL LITHIUM STOCKS AND FLOWS, Master Thesis Laetitia Carles, EPFL 2010 45
Battery design considerations: Factors affecting scarce metals supply (2/5) Geopolitical factors A major geopolitical factor is the geographic distribution of the scarce metals deposits and related primary production facilities. Platinum group metals -> Dominance South Africa Rare earth elements -> Dominance China USGS (2008) Mineral Commodity Summaries. Wäger, P.A., Lang D.J. et al. (2009) Seltene Metalle Rohstoffe für Zukunftstechnologien. 47
Battery design considerations: Factors affecting scarce metals supply (3/5) Technological factors Primary production: Many scarce metals are by-products from ores of a major carrier metal (e.g. gallium, indium) or occur as coupled elements (e.g. PGM platingroup-metals) Secondary production: New metal combinations in products, PGM and Cu as main metals due to their economic value Hagelüken, C. & Meskers, C.E.M. (2009) Complex Life Cycles of Precious and Special Metals, in: Graedel, T., and Van der Voet, E. (eds.) Linkages of Sustainability. Strüngmann Forum Report 4. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. 49
Battery design considerations: Factors affecting scarce metals supply (4/5) Ecological Factors Primary metals production is associated with significant impacts on natural systems 10000 Pd Pt 1000 Au 100 10 In Ga Ta EcoIndicator 99 -points/ kg primary metal Nd 1 0.1 Al Pb Zn Hagelüken C. & Meskers C.J.M. (2009); Wäger, P.A., Lang D.J. et al. (2009) Seltene Metalle Rohstoffe für Zukunftstechnologien. 50
Design considerations (5/5) End of life / Recycling: Is an BEV more like e-waste or more like a car? Example EEE in Switzerland: Present situation EEE = Electrical and electronic equipment Losses? Consumption Disposal in municipal waste Thermal recycling Import 1676491 Collecting point Processing Landfill Material recycling System boundary: Switzerland Opportunities? Müller, E. & Widmer, R., 2008. Materialflüsse der elektrischen und elektronischen Geräte in der Schweiz, Bundesamt für Umwelt. 51
Different performance depending on the metal Gold Indium today: Lithium Müller, E. & Widmer, R., 2008. Materialflüsse der elektrischen und elektronischen Geräte in der Schweiz, Bundesamt für Umwelt. 52
Operation: Electricity or Gasoline? Global warming [CO2-eq./km] The type of electricity is key nuclear, at plug CH 5 equal as car with 0.2 l/100km CO2-eq per vehicle-km at grid [g CO2 eq / km] PV mix CH 13 equal as car with 0.5 l/100km CO2-eq. car operation [g CO2 eq / km] CO2-eq. fuel production [g CO2 eq / km] avg. plug mix CH 23 equal as car with 0.8 l/100km natural gas CHP-plant, modern EU 75 equal as car with 2.7 l/100km avg. plug mix UCTE/EU 101 equal as car with 3.6 l/100km coal power plant avg. EU 186 equal as car with 6.6 l/100km combustion engine, best technology NatGas 80g/km 80 3.5 l/100km 17 combustion engine, EU-target 2015 130g/km 130 5.8 l/100km 32 combustion engine, CH-avg. today 180g/km 180 8.0 l/100km 45 0 50 100 150 200 250 greenhouse gas per vehicle-km electric (17 kwh/100km) and with combustion engine [g CO2_eq / km] Efficient conventional cars (approx. 130g/km car, 162 g/km total) can be cleaner than electric cars driven with dirty electricity (coal power, 186g/km) The best vehicles actually on the market (Toyota Prius 2010, 89 g/km car, 108g/km total) drives about as clean as an electric car with the european electricity mix (101g/km) An electric car, driven with the CH mix, is about 7x cleaner (23g/km) than an efficient conventional car (130g/km car, 162g/km total) graphics: Empa, based on ecoinvent data 62
Your questions are welcome Future Mobility nothing to worry about!? graphics: www.oilcrisis.com Marcel Gauch Technology and Society Lab @ Empa Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology St. Gallen, Switzerland marcel.gauch@empa.ch 92