The European Union plans to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in
2050. In 2020, the transport sector significantly contributed to global
energy-related GHG emissions, with heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) responsible for a
substantial portion of road transport emissions in the EU and a notable
percentage of the EU’s total GHG emissions. Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs),
including fuel cell (FC) vehicles, are crucial for decarbonizing the transport
sector to achieve climate neutrality. This paper aims at quantifying the
environmental impacts of a 200kW proton exchange membrane FC system for
long-haul HDVs with a 40-ton mass and 750 km driving range. The life cycle
assessment (LCA) methodology was applied, and a life cycle model of the FC
system was developed with a cradle-to-grave boundary. To ensure reproducibility
and scalability, results are reported on a kW basis. A sensitivity analysis was
performed on key parameters, including hydrogen production route, FC system
production location, fuel consumption, FC system size, FC system replacement,
and FC material composition. At the cradle-to-gate boundary, GHG emissions of
the FC system ranged from 30.5 to 51.4 kg CO₂eq/kW. The catalyst was the most
impactful component due to the presence of platinum, followed by the balance of
plant. In the cradle-to-grave boundary, raw material extraction and production
phases were negligible, while the use phase was the main driver of the overall
impact of the FC system. Certain equivalences were observed when considering
other impact categories.