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A Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment of Battery Electric Vehicles, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles through a Comparative Circular Economy Assessment Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Aser Alaa Ahmed

    (Mechanical Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates)

  • Mohammad A. Nazzal

    (Mechanical Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates)

  • Basil M. Darras

    (Mechanical Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah 26666, United Arab Emirates)

  • Ibrahim M. Deiab

    (School of Engineering, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

Abstract

Transitioning to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) is thought to substantially curb emissions, promoting sustainable development. However, the extent of the problem extends beyond tailpipe emissions. To facilitate decision-making and planning of future infrastructural developments, the economic, social, and technological factors of ZEVs should also be addressed. Therefore, this work implements the circular economy paradigm to identify the most suitable vehicle type that can accelerate sustainable development by calculating circularity scores for Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs) and two ZEVs, the Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs). The circularity assessment presents a novel assessment procedure that interrelates the environmental, economic, social, and technological implications of each vehicle type on the three implementation levels of the circular economy (i.e., The macro, meso, and micro levels). The results of our analysis suggest that not all ZEVs are considered sustainable alternatives to ICEVs. BEVs scored the highest relative circularity score of 36.8% followed by ICEVs and FCEVs scoring 32.9% and 30.3% respectively. The results obtained in this study signify the importance of conducting circular economy performance assessments as planning tools as this assessment methodology interrelate environmental, social, economic, and technological factors which are integral for future infrastructural and urban planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Aser Alaa Ahmed & Mohammad A. Nazzal & Basil M. Darras & Ibrahim M. Deiab, 2022. "A Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment of Battery Electric Vehicles, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles through a Comparative Circular Economy Assessment Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2022:i:1:p:171-:d:1011599
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Donato A. Melchiorre. & Sinan K feoglu, 2018. "Economic Assessment of Using Electric Vehicles and Batteries as Domestic Storage Units in the United Kingdom," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1858, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    2. Gavin Harper & Roberto Sommerville & Emma Kendrick & Laura Driscoll & Peter Slater & Rustam Stolkin & Allan Walton & Paul Christensen & Oliver Heidrich & Simon Lambert & Andrew Abbott & Karl Ryder & L, 2019. "Recycling lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7781), pages 75-86, November.
    3. Mario Martín-Gamboa & Paula Quinteiro & Ana Cláudia Dias & Diego Iribarren, 2021. "Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Eugene Yin Cheung Wong & Danny Chi Kuen Ho & Stuart So & Chi-Wing Tsang & Eve Man Hin Chan, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment of Electric Vehicles and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Using the GREET Model—A Comparative Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Yijiao Wang & Guoguang Zhou & Ting Li & Xiao Wei, 2019. "Comprehensive Evaluation of the Sustainable Development of Battery Electric Vehicles in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-27, October.
    6. Donato A. Melchiorre & Sinan Küfeoglu, 2018. "Economic Assessment of Using Electric Vehicles and Batteries as Domestic Storage Units in the United Kingdom," Working Papers EPRG 1830, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    7. Liu, Zhe & Song, Juhyun & Kubal, Joseph & Susarla, Naresh & Knehr, Kevin W. & Islam, Ehsan & Nelson, Paul & Ahmed, Shabbir, 2021. "Comparing total cost of ownership of battery electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Ajay Kumar & Siv Marina Flø Grimstad & Annik Magerholm Fet, 2025. "Better Together: A Review of Approaches for the Integration of Life Cycle and Circularity Assessment," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(6), pages 5699-5725, November.

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