Methods & Tools for LCA & LCC

The research presented in a poster format, focuses on the environmental impacts of electric traction machines (ETM) used in the electrification of vehicle fleets. While Electric Vehicles (EVs) offer significant benefits in terms of decarbonization, concerns have been raised regarding the environmental effects throughout the lifecycle of ETMs, from resource extraction to end-of-life treatment.

In this study, the VUB aims to analyze the environmental impacts of ETMs, with a particular focus on the use of permanent magnets (PM) containing strategic raw materials. The research explores novel recycling processes for PMs, aiming to mitigate environmental impacts associated with their production and disposal.

The research methodology employs Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), taking a cradle-to-grave approach to evaluate the environmental footprint of ETMs. Two scenarios will be compared: one with standard end-of-life treatment and the other integrating innovative PM recycling processes.

The results of the study are expected to shed light on the potential environmental benefits of circularity strategies in ETM design. Insights gained from this research will inform Maxima’s broader objective of developing more efficient ETMs with reduced reliance on strategic resources.

The EM-TECH project presented their approach for a new end-of-life scenario for in-wheel motors at the Eco-Mobility 2024 Conference organized by A3PS.

The proposed end-of-life scenario is based on the following key considerations:

• Urge for a directly applicable solution to recover rare earths from e-motors.
• Lack of standardization in the current design of e-motors, which hinders the development of robotic solutions to automatically disassemble the permanent magnets. Furthermore, no legislation regarding design standardization is considered to be implemented in the near future, since this can jeopardize seriously the innovation and improvements for e-motors.
• Challenges in the non-destructive extraction of internally mounted permanent magnets.
• Reduction in rare earths content in new generations of e-motor, which decreases their monetary value at the end-of-life stage.
• Expansion of the primary production industry of rare earth elements in Europe.

Active suspensions in automotive applications are designed to improve vehicle stability and comfort and reduce vibration transmission from the road surface. Active systems often include a dedicated actuator, and, to reduce their mass and energy absorption, it is a typical choice to rely on brushless electric motors with permanent magnets containing Critical Raw Materials such as Neodymium, a Rare Earth Element (REE), offering favorable power density values. Although these systems offer clear advantages in terms of ride quality and performance, their direct and indirect energy requirements, combined with their dependence on resource-intensive materials, raise concerns about life cycle sustainability: in other words, there is a trade-off between production impact (relevant for REE) and use impact (reduced by REE adoption). To address this issue, the research proposes a method to estimate energy consumption during the use phase of a vehicle through a dedicated parametric modeling and simulation framework; the aim is to evaluate the energy performance of active suspension systems under different road and driving conditions. The analysis explores how design parameters and operational choices affect energy consumption and efficiency. The simulation results reveal a marked sensitivity of system performance to road profiles and driving scenarios, highlighting the importance of holistic assessments during the early stages of design. The proposed framework represents a first step toward integrating circular design principles into the development of active suspensions. By combining technical and environmental perspectives, it supports the development of next-generation automotive components that balance comfort, performance, and sustainability.