Journal Published Online: 30 November 2017
Volume 1, Issue 1

Life Cycle Energy Impacts of Automotive Electronics

CODEN: SSMSCY

Abstract

The projected growth in automotive electronics content is anticipated to be higher than worldwide automotive fleet growth. New vehicle models are becoming more electrified, using more sensors and electronic control units (ECUs), approximately 40–70+ of each, with premium vehicles using the most. Electrical and electronic content value will account for 50 % of vehicle manufacturing value by 2025; that growth would represent a higher energy share of electronics in vehicle manufacturing. A representative ECU was used to estimate life cycle energy impacts of these electronics systems. The analysis was based on a teardown of a medium price-segment (standard) vehicle, and shows that an average of 50 ECUs per vehicle represents 5 % (or 8.5 GJ/vehicle) of the total vehicle manufacturing embodied energy. The ECU manufacturing energy share of total vehicle manufacturing embodied energy is projected to increase by ∼1.6 times if the electronics content increases to today's premium vehicle segment's electronics content, i.e., 76 ECUs per vehicle. From the vehicle life cycle energy perspective, the ECU use phase contributes to ∼63 % of total life cycle impacts. The energy impacts of automotive electronics recycling (yet to be developed) was found to be similar to the automotive steel recycling with the current automotive materials recycling focus by its weight.

Author Information

Cassorla, P.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, US
Das, S.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, US
Armstrong, K.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, US
Cresko, J.
U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, US
Pages: 27
Price: Free
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Details
Stock #: SSMS20170009
ISSN: 2520-6478
DOI: 10.1520/SSMS20170009