This study aims to evaluate the environmental impact of introducing Longer and Heavier Vehicles (LHVs), measuring up to m and weighing up to 60 tons, to the German transport context, using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, as described in ISO The question whether LHV have benefits for the environment is now new and has been addressed in several studies already, with mostly differing outcomes.
cost savings of 16% compared to conventional vehicles, when the utilization rate of LHVs above 83% 3 ).
The trial involves 60 companies and reported average economic benefits (i.e.
In 2012 Germany started a five-year trial of Long and Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) as a replacement for conventional trucks.
Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure reported that freight traffic will increase by 38 percent by 2030 against 2010 levels 2. Increased demand for freight traffic due to rising globalization and international trade could translate to more emissions of pollutants and carbon dioxide, more noise and more land use 1. 22 Figure 13: Contribution tree- Fine particulate matter formation Figure 14: Contribution tree- Fossil resource scarcity Figure 15: Contribution tree Global warming Figure 16: Contribution tree Stratospheric ozone depletion Abbreviations GHG LHV LCA LCIA RER Green House Gas Longer and Heavier vehicle Life Cycle Assessment Life Cycle Impact Assessment Europe 3Ĥ 1 Introduction With a dense and efficient network of roads, railways, waterways, ports and airports, Germany is one of the global leaders in freight transport and logistics.
7 Figure 2: System boundary for Layer 1 (Simple Model) Figure 3: System boundary for Layer 2 (Full Model) Figure 4: System boundary for the German freight transportation system Figure 5: Model graph for layer 1, depicting the input and output dataset of an LHV, simple model Figure 6: Model graph depicting the input and output dataset of an LHV, full model Figure 7: modal shift, German freight transport Figure 8: Model graph presenting the input-output data for German freight transport system Figure 9: Relative impacts between LHVs and normal trucks Simple model Figure 10: Relative impacts between LHVs and normal trucks Full model, that includes the life cycle of a road Figure 11 : Overview of the impacts of the increase in the share of LHVs and road freight share on the German freight transport Figure 12: Overview of the impacts of the increase in the market volume of freight transport. 1 openlca (1.7.2) How sustainable are Longer and Heavier Vehicles? openlca Version: Document version: 1.0 Date: July 26th 2018 Authors: Salwa Burhan, Francesca Recanati, Andreas Ciroth GreenDelta GmbH Müllerstrasse 135 Tel Fax Berlin GERMANYĢ Content 1 Introduction Background The LCA methodology Goal and Scope definition Data and life cycle inventory assessment in openlca Impact Assessment method: Recipe 2016 Midpoint (H) System modelling LHV vs NORMAL TRUCK (Layer 1&2) Total freight transport, including LHVs (Layer 3) German Freight Transport Volume (Layer 4) Inventory analysis LHV vs NORMAL TRUCK (Layer 1&2) Total freight transport, including LHVs (Layer 3) German Freight Transport Volume (Layer 4) Evaluation: Life Cycle Impact Assessment Results: Layer 1, Simple model Results: Layer 2, Full model Results: Total freight transport, including LHVs (Layer 3) Results: German Freight Road Transport (Layer 4) Interpretation & Outlook Feedback & Contact Annex List of Tables Table 1 : Description of the different research questions addressed by the case study in the form of layers Table 2: ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) impact categories and reference unit Table 3: Additional data from the literature review for design of an LHV dataset Table 4: Overview of the situations with different share of LHVs in freight transport for Germany assessed in Layer Table 5: Overview of the situations for assessing the impact of increase in the market volume of freight transportģ Table 6: Result of the impact assessment of simple model, LHV vs Normal truck Table 7: Result of the impact assessment of full model, LHV vs Normal truck Table 8: Results of the impact assessment of the increase in share of LHVs and share of road transport in the modal share for freight transport Table 9: Results of the impact assessment of the increase in the market volume of freight transport Table 10: Overview of the outcome of the layers of the case-study List of Figures Figure 1 A qualitative model for a share of LHVs in German inland freight transport system.