Recognition of the importance of climate change, urban air pollution, energy security, hazardous industrial waste, and water scarcity has increased the interest in developing sustainable mobility. When developing new technology to address sustainability issues it is important to avoid merely shifting environmental problems between different stages of the product life cycle.  A cradle-to-grave analysis starts with gathering raw materials from the earth to create a product and ends when all materials are returned to the earth.  Life cycle assessment provides a holistic cradle-to-grave picture of processes and environmental releases during all stages of a product life. Life cycle assessment is a mixture of physics and accounting and provides a powerful and versatile tool to systematically evaluate the environmental consequences associated with a given product. The history of life cycle assessment and its application within the automotive industry will be presented and discussed.  A cradle-to-grave analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. light duty vehicles in 2020 and 2035 will be presented. Finally, the strengths and limitations of automotive life cycle assessments will be highlighted.

Ford: Dr. Tim Wallington