Mobility disruptor Lynk & Co has commissioned IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to perform a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of its flagship plug-in hybrid car, the 01.
This is an important step in Lynk & Co’s sustainability journey which provides transparent information on the 01’s sustainability performance. The study identifies hotspots where action to reduce climate impact matters the most, enabling customers to adopt more sustainable habits.
The comprehensive study assesses the carbon footprint of the 01 throughout its entire life cycle, encompassing everything from production, logistics, use phase and end-of-life management. Based on LCA standards, the assessment highlights the importance of use-phase emissions, consumer choices and the use of recycled materials for a reduced environmental impact.
“At Lynk & Co, we’re committed to transparency and responsibility in our sustainability journey. The insights gained by our Life Cycle Assessment will empower us to make the right choices to contribute to a more sustainable future in the automotive industry.”
Alain Visser, CEO of Lynk & Co
The influence of charging habits
Charging habits have a crucial influence on the 01’s footprint. If the car isn’t charged or is charged using electricity from coal power, the use phase contributes to roughly 70% of the whole life cycle’s impact. Charging with the European grid mix can reduce the use-phase impact significantly, with an estimated 35 tons of CO2e emissions for the car’s entire life cycle – against 59 tons of CO2e emissions for cars that use petrol and electricity from coal power.
Recycled materials continue to be key
Material production plays an essential role in the car’s footprint. Increasing the use of recycled materials across the production process, such as aluminum, steel, and plastic can save a significant amount of energy and reduce the environmental impact. The increased use of these more sustainable and recycled materials is a core pillar of how we continue to support the building of a better future for mobility.
Car sharing for a reduced impact
Car sharing contributes to decreasing demand for more cars. As consumers are more open to own less and share more, Lynk & Co has found that sharing cars half of the time and charging with electricity from wind power has the potential to lower emissions by over 70% compared to driving on petrol and not sharing cars at all.
SOURCE: Lynk & Co
