MONITORING TARGETS − LIFE
CYCLE ASSESSMENT
Since 2005, Renault Group has taken action to reduce the environmental impact of its vehicles throughout their life cycle, from one generation to the next. To ensure that it meets its goals and to monitor its progress, the Group began in 2004 to measure its vehicles’ impact on the environment (and the potential impact on global warming), starting from the extraction of the raw materials needed for their manufacture and until their end of life.
Life cycle assessments (LCA) are therefore performed:
- prior to the vehicle design process, to analyze the potential environmental impact and benefits of technological innovations;
- after the design process, to confirm and measure the reduction of environmental impacts from one generation of vehicle to another.
At end-2020, 28 models representing nearly 80% of the Group’s global passenger car sales under the Renault, Dacia, Alpine and RSM (Renault Samsung Motors) brands were thus subjected to a complete LCA. Starting with the launch of TWINGO III in
September 2014, all new models undergo a comparative LCA with respect to their predecessor. Each of these LCAs is critically reviewed by an independent expert following the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards, to evaluate, firstly, the methodology used and, secondly, all of the calculations and interpretations made.
The LCA reports for new models, together with their reviews, are published online at group.renault.com/en/our-commitments. The following chart compares LCAs to show the potential impact on climate change of ZOE versus CLIO. It illustrates how electric vehicles can effectively help fight climate change.
POTENTIAL IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF ZOE (VS. CLIO):
LCA COMPARISON BETWEEN CLIO (2019) AND ZOE (2019)
Climate change potential:
Clio V: approximately 25%
Zoe: approximately 20%
European citizen (EU 28 average): approximately 100%
Fossil resource depletion potential:
Clio V: approximately 50%
Zoe: approximately 30%
European citizen (EU 28 average): approximately 100%
Mineral resource depletion potential:
Clio V: approximately 5%
Zoe: approximately 10%
European citizen (EU 28 average): approximately 100%
Eutrophication potential:
Clio V: approximately 0%
Zoe: approximately 2%
European citizen (EU 28 average): approximately 100%.
Acidification potential:
Clio V: approximately 15%
Zoe: approximately 20%
European citizen (EU 28 average): approximately 100%
Photochemical ozone creation potential:
Clio V: approximately 25%
Zoe: approximately 15%
European citizen (EU 28 average): approximately 100%
The above chart presents the results of the comparative life cycle assessment of new ZOE (2019) and CLIO V (2019), in the form of a comparison by normalization. Normalization consists of measuring the relative weight of the vehicle studied in relation to the environmental impact of an “average” European citizen over a reference year. The results of the LCA illustrate the pertinence of electric vehicles in the fight against global warming: over the entire life cycle, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions stands at 28% for ZOE compared with CLIO V, based on an average European electricity mix for battery recharging. With the electricity mix in France, the reduction was 64%. Indicators whose relative weight in the normalization is lower are nonetheless useful for identifying and prioritizing the actions to be taken to reduce environmental impacts. Thus, the indicator of potential depletion of mineral resources shows a negative impact related to the manufacture of the electric vehicle traction battery. To meet this challenge, the Group is leveraging various options: maximizing battery use (smart charging, bidirectional charging, second-life uses such as stationary energy storage) and participating in the development of new recycling solutions for active battery materials, thereby helping reduce the need for virgin materials.