The transport sector is the largest single emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK, producing 27% of the UK’s total emissions in 2019, as well as a significant source of pollutants.
However, the range of business models and industry drivers in the commercial transport sector is complex, limiting opportunities for decarbonisation based on operational practices. As a result, the sector, including automotive manuacturers, is largely reliant on technological advances to reduce CO2 emissions.
One such technology-driven opportunity is vehicle lightweighting: reducing a vehicle’s unladen weight. This is the first study which provides a holistic evaluation of the environmental benefits associated with vehicle lightweighting to date.
We carried out targeted research in this area and built a model that quantified and, where possible, monetised the full suite of environmental benefits that lightweighting vehicles can deliver.
The study focused on quantifying the impacts of weight reduction on a diesel Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV), using the following indicators: fuel consumption, vehicle component (and road) wear, greenhouse gas emissions, particulate matter, and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emissions.
In line with industry best practice, the project team categorised benefits as internal (i.e., to the vehicle owner/operator) and external (i.e., to wider society). Internal benefits included reduced fuel and tyre costs, and external benefits included reduced GHG, NOx, and particulate matter emissions.
The team modelled three weight reduction categories (75 kg, 150 kg, and 300 kg) for two scenarios (unladen weight and at the Gross Vehicle Weight limit). In both scenarios, the results indicated that reducing vehicle weight by 150 kg or more may provide attractive returns in both vehicle operating costs and environmental impacts. The study also found that more significant lightweighting resulted in greater benefits.
In terms of reducing GHG emissions, our findings suggested that lightweighting a fully loaded LCV by 150 kg for 15 years would avoid 6 tonnes of CO2e, equivalent to taking 1.5 new LCVs off the road completely for one year.
If scaled such that 11% (500,000) of LCVs on the road are fully loaded then lightweighted by 150 kg, total savings could reach £610m over a 15-year period.
These benefits may empower automakers to help customers achieve their own decarbonisation ambitions without compromising commercial outcomes, whilst maximising the potential benefits for society as a whole.
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