Ricardo provides independent review of Carbon Footprint Report for Volvo's electric EX90

Ricardo's corporate sustainability and lifecycle assessment (LCA) experts were appointed to provide the independent review of the Carbon Footprint Report for Volvo's new fully-electric EX90 vehicle.
 
The full report, produced by Volvo Cars, extends across the complete cradle-to-grave emissions for the vehicle. Its assessments and calculations consider the emissions that derive from the production and refining of materials for the main body shell and components; assembly and distribution from the manufacturing plant; lifetime on-road performance and maintenance demands (based on a 200,000km driving distance); and end of life treatment such as the disposal of batteries, tyres and other hazardous components.
 
The final report was submitted to our teams to undertake a critical review in line with CEN ISO/TS 14071:2016, the recognised approach for reviews of an LCA study, and ISO 14067:2018, a global standard for quantifying the carbon footprint of products.
 
Ricardo’s LCA team undertook an independent critical review focused on the carbon footprint assessment of the Volvo EX90 vehicle. Our experts concluded that the critically reviewed carbon footprint study is substantially correct, representing, based on the available data, a reasonable identification of the potential greenhouse gas emissions and removals related to the product under study, within the limits of the assumptions and limitations highlighted in the carbon footprint study. 
 
The team also concluded that the study had been prepared in accordance with the principles and requirements of ISO I4067:2018 - Greenhouse gases - Carbon footprint of products - Requirements and guidelines for quantification.  
 
Following the completion of our assessments in early September, a formal Independent Critical Review Statement was issued for inclusion in the final EX90 the Carbon Footprint Report.
 
Sam Hinton, Head of LCA at Ricardo said:
 
“We were delighted to be entrusted by Volvo Cars to perform a rigorous review of their carbon calculations and assumptions for the EX90 vehicle. Such detailed emissions reports provide important information to customer bases that are becoming increasingly aware that tailpipe emissions are just part of the total emissions produced by a vehicle over its lifetime. To provide these reports – with proof of independent third-party reviews – shows full transparency and allows consumers to make informed decisions about their next vehicle”.