{"id":40181,"date":"2026-06-02T17:31:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T15:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.groupfleet.com\/oekobilanzen-im-flottenmanagement\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T09:26:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:26:53","slug":"life-cycle-assessments-in-fleet-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.groupfleet.com\/en\/life-cycle-assessments-in-fleet-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Life cycle assessments in fleet management"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In a nutshell: What is a life cycle assessment?<\/h2>\n

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Life cycle assessments (LCA) deal with environmental aspects and potential environmental impact (e.g. resource utilisation and environmental impacts of releases and discharges) over the entire life cycle of products, from raw material extraction to production, the use phase through to dismantling for recycling at the end of life. A life cycle assessment study consists of the following phases: definition of the goal and the scope of the investigation, life cycle inventory, impact assessment and evaluation.<\/div>[vc_column_text css=””]2 June 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether medium-sized companies or large corporations: sustainability is increasingly becoming a key factor when it comes to future viability. Your company fleet accounts for a larger share of this than might appear at first glance. Here, we show you how LCAs illustrate the environmental footprint of your fleet.<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

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Decarbonizing one’s own fleet is important for, among other things, sustainability ratings\u2014and thus directly relevant to assessing a company’s future viability. The instrument for this is the LCA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The life cycle assessment (LCA) of a car reflects its overall environmental impacts throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to production and use of the vehicle, through to dismantling for subsequent recycling. Greenhouse gas emissions \u2013 and therefore the Global Warming Potential (GWP) \u2013 are a particular focus in this respect.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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From the perspective of decarbonising the fleet, a comparison between battery electric vehicles (BEV) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is crucial. Because battery production is energy-intensive, electric vehicles initially have a higher carbon footprint during the production phase than their diesel or petrol counterparts, in the sense of a so-called carbon \u201cbackpack\u201d or carbon \u201cdebt\u201d of unavoidable environmental impacts. What matters for fleets, however, is the environmental break-even point. To put it proverbially: You arrive at your users’ doorstep with a fuller trunk. However, this ballast diminishes over time. This is known as the break-even point. It is exactly this moment that matters for fleets, in other words: at what point the balance tips in favour of BEVs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When does the BEV achieve a better LCA?
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\n\t\t\u2070\u00b9ID.4 Pro 210 kW, power consumption combined: 15,8 kWh\/100 km; CO\u2082 emissions combined: 0 g\/km, CO\u2082 class: A. Example calculation with values from model year 2024. The specific car configurations used are not offered anymore.\t<\/div>\n\t
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After about 66,000 kilometres, a modern electric vehicle in the mid-range segment, such as the ID.4 Pro\u2070\u00b9 from VW Passenger Cars, can be more environmentally friendly than its combustion engine (diesel model) counterpart in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP). From this point on, the cumulative climate impact of the BEV across its entire life cycle (lifetime kilometrage standard: 200.000 km) is then lower than that of the combustion engine vehicle \u2013 provided it is charged consistently with green electricity in the use phase. However, if the traditional EU electricity mix is used, this point gets pushed back. In terms of fleet strategy, this means: electric mobility in the fleet shows off its strengths particularly at high mileages and with a managed charging infrastructure using green electricity. These results are based on the assumptions of the LCA study that was carried out by Volkswagen AG and checked externally, particularly with regard to electricity mix, assumed mileage and vehicle configuration.\u2070\u00b2<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIn the Volkswagen Group we have our own internal standard, which ensures that life cycle assessments are calculated across the Group using a standardised methodology.\u201c<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Dr. Sebastian Gehrke<\/strong><\/span>
\nTeam Lead for Life Cycle Assessments, Technical Development, Volkswagen Passenger Cars<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Optimising the use phase: low carbon electricity<\/h2>\n

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Regardless of electricity tariff and charging location, customers can charge their ID. models with electricity from renewable sources. Volkswagen is supporting this transition by investing in the expansion of renewable energies in Europe.\u00a0The green power projects supported by\u00a0Volkswagen in 2025 are expected to generate and feed in around 1.8 terawatt-hours (TWh) of green electricity to the European power grid per year, corresponding to the annual energy demand of about 500,000 households or the calculated electricity demand of the Volkswagen ID. fleet on European roads currently not covered by low carbon electricity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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According to a study\u2070\u00b3<\/span>,\u202fthis estimated electricity demand assumes that the share of \u201cgrey\u201d electricity on European streets in 2023 was just under 40 percent. Through green energy projects, Volkswagen is helping to support the utilisation of renewable energies in connection with the use of electric vehicles. Based on the underlying assumptions on vehicle usage, this can have a positive impact on the carbon footprint of ID. vehicles during their period of\u00a0use, and\u00a0can help to unlock possibilities for decarbonising mobility.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>[vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

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It all comes down to data<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Preparing a life cycle assessment is a Herculean task for car manufacturers in terms of the data. The assessment is based, among other things, on detailed bills of materials, which record every single component and generally its materials. More than 15,000 lines of data are analysed per vehicle and offset against LCA data. Finally, the LCA is submitted to an external auditor, who verifies compliance with ISO standards (14040\/14044). Fleet operators are therefore well advised to rely on LCAs that adhere to this process. With regard to the state of the art of LCAs, it should be noted that the calculation methods for LCAs in the automotive industry are subject to constant further development. Amongst other changes, generic data and assumptions are increasingly being replaced by vehicle- and company-specific data; future calculations may thus lead to significant deviations from previous LCA values. Therefore LCAs are to be understood as a status at the time of execution. They do not represent a guaranteed product property in a legal sense and are not suitable for comparisons with LCAs from other car manufacturers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Balancing duty and necessity<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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According to the most recent EU Omnibus\u202fI\u202fPackage (RL (EU) 2026\/470), only companies with a workforce of more than 1,000\u202femployees on an annual average and an annual net turnover of more than \u20ac450 million will be required in the future to publish a sustainability report in accordance with the CSRD (RL (EU) 2022\/2464) CSRD in the future. And yet, it can also be a great advantage for smaller businesses if they also keep an eye on the figures in terms of the carbon footprint of their fleet. After all, many of them are in turn part of longer supply chains. If the client company is subject to CSRD reporting requirements as the highest link in the supply chain, it will naturally be keen to obtain reliable data from its suppliers. Ultimately, collection of data on a voluntary basis could well become a key differentiating factor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOur vision is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to provide a detailed life cycle assessment for every vehicle.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Dr. Sebastian Gehrke<\/strong><\/span>
\nTeam Lead for Life Cycle Assessments, Technical Development, Volkswagen Passenger Cars<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Would you like more information on the topic of life cycle assessments?<\/h2>\n

Your local key account management will be pleased to assist.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Frequently asked questions about life cycle assessment<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion style=”flat” shape=”square” color=”white” active_section=”0″ no_fill=”true” collapsible_all=”true” el_class=”contacts”][vc_tta_section title=”What does Global Warming Potential (GWP) mean?” tab_id=”1729075670841-e1c2ea72-4694″][vc_column_text css=””]The global warming potential (GWP) measures greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to increased heat absorption in the atmosphere due to solar radiation and can thus contribute to climate change, for instance in the form of rising global average temperatures. The reference substance is carbon dioxide (CO\u2082). The other greenhouse gases (e.g. CH\u2084, N\u2082O, SF\u2086) are converted into CO\u2082 equivalents (CO\u2082e) according to their global warming potential. Recognised scientific models are used in this context, such as the so-called CML methodology developed by the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) at Leiden University in the Netherlands or the IPCC methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Why do electric vehicles only achieve an environmental break-even point a certain mileage?” tab_id=”1729075670837-8aa919b4-2eeb”][vc_column_text css=””]The figure relates primarily to the energy-intensive production of the lithium-ion batteries. Because cell production consumes high quantities of energy, an electric car starts out with a so-called carbon debt of unavoidable environmental impacts. The electric car gradually offsets this initial carbon disadvantage through charging. With renewable energy, this happens faster; even with conventional grid electricity, the debt is repaid over the vehicle’s lifetime \u2013 merely at a slower pace. The zero local emission driving is an additional environmental benefit, but does not directly reduce the manufacturing footprint.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Is the green electricity pool principle not just greenwashing?” tab_id=”1729081088554-969b520f-9a76″][vc_column_text css=””]No. It is an accounting procedure, similar to purchasing green electricity. Guarantees of origin represent the corresponding amount of electricity without involving the physical delivery of electricity in each individual case. The aim of this approach is to support the utilisation of renewable energies and strengthen the relevant market mechanisms in Europe.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”What is a CO2 equivalent (CO2e)?” tab_id=”1780410346667-0159bf5a-8e6b”][vc_column_text css=””]A life cycle assessment also considers gases such as methane or nitrous oxide in addition to carbon dioxide. To make them comparable, they are converted into CO2 equivalents. This unit specifies how much CO2 the same greenhouse gas effect would have over 100 years.<\/p>\n

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The figure shows the results of a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) for<\/p>\n

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