Methods & Tools for LCA & LCC

This report evaluates an Integrated Motor Drive (IMD) developed for electric trucks, with the aim of reducing environmental impacts and improving the circular use of materials. The IMD consists of four main components: inverter, electric motor, gearbox, and heatsink. The study focuses on how design improvements, repairability, reuse, remanufacturing, and new business models can improve sustainability over the full product life cycle. A life cycle assessment with a cradle-to-grave scope was carried out for 3 million kilometers of truck operation. The improved modular design enables easier repair, extends the IMD lifetime and reduces the number of units required while lowering the material demand. Three end-of-life scenarios were assessed. The baseline scenario reflects current practice and delivers limited benefits. Improved remanufacturing in the second sce-nario leads to clear gains in circularity and resource efficiency. The strongest results are achieved with an advanced circular business model scenario based on a leasing model, where the manufacturer retains ownership of the IMD. This approach enables high return rates, extensive reuse, and effective remanufacturing. Environmental results show that circular strategies mainly reduce impacts related to resource use and critical raw materials, while climate change impacts are dominated by electricity consumption during use. Reuse and remanufacturing are especially important for reducing dependence on critical materials such as neodymium used in motor magnets. The study concludes that combining efficient design, improved repairability, and suitable business models can significantly enhance the environmental and resource performance of electric truck powertrains.