Cars and trucks are an important driver of environmental impacts. How can these be reduced?
The environmental impact of transport affects many people. They are also an issue in life cycle assessments, which we have analysed from various perspectives. Private mobility accounts for about 12% of total environmental impacts. But the transport of goods is also an important issue that affects many people. We have carried out various studies on the subject of mobility. One topic, for example, was the life cycle assessment of electric and hybrid vehicles. The effects of using bioenergy were also analysed.
Our literature analysis on electromobility shows that a switch to electrically powered vehicles offers opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of motorised private transport with technical measures. This applies in particular to everyday short-distance journeys. Based on the forecasts for the development of energy density in batteries, it can also be assumed that battery electric vehicles will also become increasingly lucrative and ecologically advantageous for long-distance transport. However, thanks to their high energy density, synthetic fuels produced using renewable electricity are probably more suitable for some applications than battery-powered systems, at least in the medium term. This is likely to be the case for heavy goods vehicles, ships and, primarily, air transport. On the other hand, it is clear that the switch to purely renewable fuels or electrically powered vehicles is also likely to be a major challenge.
Best practice for calculating the carbon footprint of airplane transports
Jungbluth, Niels presented at the 66th LCA Discussion Forum - LCA of Mobility solutions: approaches and findings
Selected Publications
Frischknecht R., Bauer C., Froemelt A., Hellweg S., Biemann K., Buetler T., Cox B., Haan P. d., Hoerl S., Itten R., Jungbluth N., Ligen Y., Mathys N. A., Schiess S., Schori S., Loon P. v., Wang J. and Wettstein S. (2018) LCA of Mobility solutions: approaches and findings 66th LCA forum, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, 30 August, 2017. In: Int J LCA, 23(2), pp. 381-386, 10.1007/s11367-017-1429-1.
Frischknecht R. (2012) Umweltaspekte von Elektroautos - Ein Argumentarium. im Auftrag des Bundesamtes für Umwelt BAFU, ESU-services Ltd., Uster, CH.
Flury K. and Frischknecht R. (2012) Ökobilanz Erdgasauto. Uster.
Rolf Frischknecht, Karin Flury (2011) Life cycle assessment of electric mobility: answers and challenges—Zurich, April 6, 2011. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, August 2011, Volume 16, Issue 7, pp 691-695
Frischknecht R., Stucki M. and Itten R. (2011) Primärenergiefaktoren von Transportsystemen, Version 2.2. im Auftrag des Bundesamtes für Energie BfE, ESU-services Ltd., Uster, CH
Frischknecht R. (2011) Vom Auspuff zum Kamin: Ökobilanzen von Strom und Stromspeichern. In: Welche Treibstoffe tanken wir morgen? Entwicklungstendenzen, Alternativ- und Biotreibstoffe, Vortragstagung SSM/SAE, 29. September 2011, Sursee
Stucki M., Frischknecht R. and Jungbluth N. (2011) Agrotreibstoffe versus Solarstrom: Ein Vergleich der Ökobilanzen alternativer Treibstoffe. In: VSE Bulletin, 2011(2), pp. 25ff
On 25th and 26th of January 2011, the 2. Swiss Forum of Electric Mobility took place in Lucerne. Download the presentation slides for about the life cycle assessment of electric mobility (in German). More information about this event is available from our German and French website.
Leuenberger M. and Frischknecht R. (2010) Life cylce assessment of battery electric vehicles and concept cars, implemented in ecoinvent v2.2, Uster, CH
Leuenberger M. and Frischknecht R. (2010) Life cylce assessment of virtual mobility, implemented in ecoinvent v2.2, Uster, CH Leuenberger M. and Frischknecht R. (2010) Life cylce assessment of two wheel vehicles, implemented in ecoinvent v2.2, Uster, CH
Frischknecht R., M. Leuenberger, 2009, Elektroauto: Königsweg oder Sackgasse; Fragen und Antworten der Ökobilanz von Elektroautos, Presentation prepared for the working committee Environment of Daimler AG, June 29, 2009, Sindelfingen
Frischknecht R., M. Stucki, 2008, Primärenergiefaktoren von Transportleistungen, Version 1.2, im Auftrag des Amts für Hochbauten der Stadt Zürich, ESU-services GmbH, Uster
Jungbluth, N. & Frischknecht, R. 5.3.2002: "Ökobilanzen für den Flugverkehr." In Suter, P. IGLA Interessengemeinschaft Lebensqualität Altenrhein und Umgebung.
