Electric mobility is much debated in the media and political arena, and the scientific community shares the opinion that Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can help evaluate the real sustainability of possible technological solutions.

In this context, updating the results obtained in the past System Research was a priority. These were results concerning the comparison of vehicle types (electric, plug-in hybrid, methane, petrol and diesel) in terms of external environmental costs for pollution and greenhouse effect.

The update concerned both methodological aspects and the adaptation of the system under examination, since electric vehicles (pure or plug-in hybrid) and traditional vehicles are evolving rapidly. As regards the methodological aspects, the entire LCA system describing the technological solutions analysed was updated, shifting to a more transparent and flexible system that in the future, will allow for the management of different battery end-of-life scenarios (the cut-off system). The economic assessment method of environmental impacts was revised (assessment of environmental externalities). Even more relevant, from a methodological point of view, was the pioneering application of an innovative life cycle cost indicator (Life Cycle Costing – LCC) based on the cost of commodities (raw materials and energy). This indicator, which refers to the consumption of resources, is in some way complementary to the assessment of environmental externalities as these essentially refer to emissions into the atmosphere.

As regards the adaptation to technological evolution, the main updates concerned the selection of vehicles to be compared, the consumption of vehicles in the different areas of use (urban and extra-urban) and the updating of the emission factors of vehicles (and power plants). The updating of the charging mix of pure and plug-in electric vehicles is also part of the field of technological adaptation, as is the assessment of the effects of using an electricity production mix that adheres to the objectives of the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan for 2030, or the analysis of the effects on the environmental profile of a development of the national electric car supply chain. To conclude with the technological aspects, given the importance of the battery, the study investigated and confirmed, through a literature analysis, the adequacy of the data used so far in System Research which shows that energy consumption and climate-altering emissions related to the production/disposal of batteries are not such as to undermine the advantages that electric vehicles offer during their use.

Both for the assessment of external costs and the LCC of commodities, the results show that, even considering driving cycles other than the urban one, electric vehicles have the lowest total external costs compared to similar traditional vehicles. The environmental performance of methane vehicles is close to that of electric vehicles, making this option interesting for vehicles mainly intended for extra-urban use.