Ricardo supports the development of world-first cradle-to-grave vehicle sustainability rating system
Ricardo, a world-leading strategic, engineering, and environmental consultancy, has once again supported Green NCAP with the development of their annual Sustainability Rating for vehicles. This year’s rating is the first in the world to incorporate a ‘cradle-to-grave’ whole-life assessment enabling consumers to see a holistic view of the environmental impact of their cars and compare real-world efficiency, range and charging capabilities.
As part of its support to the Green NCAP Sustainability Rating, Ricardo provided electricity data and, as a leader in vehicle life cycle assessment (LCA), reviewed and provided feedback on the updated methodology.
The life cycle assessment identifies impacts from raw material extraction through vehicle production, battery manufacturing and distribution, to use-phase emissions including energy supply and vehicle maintenance, and finally to end-of-life recycling and disposal.
Nikolas Hill, Ricardo Head of Vehicle Technologies and Fuels and leading vehicle LCA expert said: “Ricardo were delighted to once again work with NCAP on their annual rating, which this year has expanded the scope of what is looked at when assessing vehicle sustainability. By looking more broadly at the environmental impacts of vehicles on a life-cycle basis, manufacturers and new vehicle customers can develop a more complete and holistic understanding of these impacts, to inform their decisions accordingly.”
“Life-cycle assessment is a powerful tool for helping manufacturers and consumers understand how products impact the environment and society, factoring in the full product lifecycle, including impacts across the value chain. This can help support the development of products with improved sustainability credentials.”
Green NCAP was launched in 2019 and serves to inform consumers about cars’ sustainability and encourage the automotive industry to address all aspects of a vehicle’s carbon footprint and polluting behaviour.
Find out more about this year's rating here.
Find out more about Life Cycle Assessments.
