Life Cycle Prediction Assessment of Battery Electrical Vehicles with Special Focus on Different Lithium-Ion Power Batteries in China

The incentive policies of new energy vehicles substantially promoted the development of the electrical vehicles technology and industry in China. However, the environmental impact of the key technology parameters progress on the battery electrical vehicles (BEV) is uncertain, and the BEV matching different lithium-ion power batteries shows different environmental burdens. This study conducts a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a BEV matching four different power batteries of lithium-ion phosphate (LFP), lithium-ion nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), and lithium titanate oxide (LTO) batteries. In addition, the 2025 and 2030 prediction analyses of the batteries production and life cycle BEV are conducted with the specially considered change and progress of the power battery energy density, battery manufacturing energy consumption, electricity structure, battery charge efficiency, and vehicle lightweight level. In addition, sensitivity analyses of power battery energy density, battery manufacturing energy consumption, electricity structure, and battery charge efficiency are conducted. The results show that the LFP battery is more environmentally friendly in the global warming potential (GWP) and acidification potential (AP), and the NCM battery is more environmentally friendly in abiotic depletion (fossil) (ADP(f)) and human toxicity potential (HTP). However, the LTO battery shows the highest environmental impact among the four environmental impact categories due to the lower energy density. For life cycle BEV, GWP and ADP(f) of BEV based on LFP, NCM, and LMO are lower than those of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV), while AP and HTP of BEV based on the four batteries are higher than those of ICEV. The grave-to-cradle (GTC) phase of vehicle has substantial environmental benefit to reduce the human toxicity emission. With the improvement of the battery density, battery charge efficiency, electricity structure, and glider lightweight level, life cycle BEVs based on the four different batteries show substantial environmental benefits for four environmental impact categories.

Automated summary

This study conducts a life cycle assessment of four different power batteries for battery electric vehicles (BEV) in China. The results show that different power batteries have different environmental impacts, with the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery being more environmentally friendly in global warming potential and acidification potential, and the lithium-ion nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery being more environmentally friendly in abiotic depletion and human toxicity potential. However, the lithium titanate oxide (LTO) battery has the highest environmental impact due to its lower energy density. Overall, with improvements in battery density, charge efficiency, electricity structure, and vehicle lightweight level, BEVs based on these batteries show substantial environmental benefits.