Currently, weight reduction in vehicles is a crucial concern for mitigating air pollution and also to achieve net zero emissions vehicles by 2035. Press hardening offers a huge lightweight potential, for thick sheet applications, as those used to construct heavy-duty vehicles. The use of press hardened steels can give up to 40% weight reduction in chassis components, in comparison with current solutions. Aimed to boost the application of such solution in heavy-duty vehicles, the present work addresses the environmental benefits of using press hardening from an environmental perspective. Two cases were compared, the current solution, based on cold forming, and the proposed press hardening approach. In both cases, the study follows a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment approach, including raw material extraction, component manufacturing, vehicle use, and end-of-life. To ensure a high level of precision in the analysis, extensive primary data from the manufacturing stage and a comprehensive use of the vehicle were utilized, encompassing three different powertrain options for HDV of vehicles in a European context: Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). In terms of the manufacturing stage, the production of the press hardened component had the most significant impact due to the substantial energy needed during its processing (furnace). Nevertheless, this stage's overall effect on the entire Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was relatively minor because the advantages of weight reduction during the vehicle use stage made a substantially larger contribution. Significantly, HEV had the most pronounced impact, largely due to their consumption of fossil fuels. Conversely, BEV, when considering an average European electric mix, exhibited a more favorable environmental profile. This work showcases the environmental significance of lightweighting through press hardening in chassis part of heavy-duty electric vehicles.
DOI Number: 10.33313/512/A0901
2024 CHS2 Conference Proceedings