A new report has outlined four key recommendations for the automotive and critical materials industry to take forward how they approach the electric vehicle product lifecycle.
The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)’s study, Business critical: Understanding the material life cycle, provides an overview of next steps required within the automotive industry, recommending a collaborative and partnership approach to share best practice and implement upcoming regulation.
The four recommendations include: supply chain collaboration to implement Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), prepare for future regulations, and agree standards and method; support smaller businesses with LCA skills: recycling and Re-use regulation and permitting review; and education on emissions from raw materials versus recycled materials to aid investment decisions.
The sectors joined with parliamentarians and civil servants to launch the report last week, outlining how the automotive industry and its supply chain can transition the approach to electric vehicle product lifecycle, and support the industry in delivering net zero targets.
Dr Chris Jones, Strategic Trends Manger at APC, said: “The first section of the report looks at what life cycle analysis means for the sector, highlighting some of the challenges that will need to be overcome. This will require businesses to apply common frameworks and tools which can help decisions to be made on material selection internationally.
“The second section of the report focusses on the challenge around batteries, the highest value system within an electric vehicle, and introduces the regulations that are being implemented and where the recycling opportunities are for the UK. The final section of this report looks at this value chain to address how the sector can build a more circular and resilient supply chain for batteries.”
“The time is now to think and plan. We have time to get this right and if we do, it poses a real opportunity for UK automotive manufacturers to lead the way.”
Image courtesy of APC
