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The Center for Clean Products has conducted a life-cycle assessment involving a comparison of exterior body closure panels made of different lightweight materials (aluminum, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer [CFRP] and glass fiber-reinforced polymer [GFRP]), to steel closure panels weighing 220 lbs as the baseline. In an additional, more forward-looking assessment, a monocoque body made of a carbon fiber-based composite was assumed to replace a conventional steel body, resulting in a substantial weight reduction (more than 60%). The primary results reveal that CFRP appears to be the least environmentally burdensome material in 9 of the 14 impact categories evaluated. This is mainly due to the fact that CFRP has the maximum weight reduction potential of all the materials evaluated (about 60% over steel), resulting in a much smaller quantity of material needed.

Fuel cells have attracted a great deal of attention in the last few years as potential replacements for conventional gasoline- or diesel-powered internal combustion engines. This study evaluated the potential life-cycle environmental impacts of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) using a 50 kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system (both with and without a fuel reformer), and compared them with those of a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). The fuels considered for the fuel cell systems were direct hydrogen (without reformer), and methanol and gasoline (with reformer). Exclusive of the propulsion systems, the rest of the vehicle was assumed to be the same across all the profiles.

This project team conducted a life-cycle-based environmental evaluation of new, lightweight materials (e.g., titanium, magnesium) used in two concept 3XVs -- i.e., automobiles that are three times more fuel efficient than today's automobiles -- that are being designed and developed in support of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program. The two concept vehicles studied were the DaimlerChrysler ESX2 and the Ford P2000. Data for this research were drawn from a wide range of sources, including: the two automobile manufacturers; automobile industry reports; government and proprietary databases; past life-cycle assessments; interviews with industry experts; and models.

As a part of the Global Green Engineering Initiative at the US-Japan Center for Technology Management at Vanderbilt University, an Internet-based Environmentally Conscious Decision Support tool (EcoDS) has been developed for life-cycle management. EcoDS is used to compare different alternatives for manufacturing processes or product designs with regards to cost and residual risk, and includes a user-defined value system. This tool uses a vertical streamlining approach applied prior to the data input, to reduce data collection efforts and to speed the life-cycle assessment process. The output is condensed into a single summary matrix. It has been deemed useful to create a version of EcoDS designed specifically for the automotive industry (AutoEcoDS). This program will involve multiple modules each related to a different aspect of the manufacture of automobiles and automotive products.