Zongwei Liu

Comparing the life cycle Greenhouse Gas emissions from vehicle production in China and the USA: implications for targeting the reduction opportunities

China is responsible for around one-quarter of global vehicle production. The associated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions have become a major concern to the industrial sustainable development. With the aim of identifying the opportunities of cutting GHG emissions from China’s automotive industry, this study estimates the life cycle GHG emissions from vehicle production in China and compares the results with the case in the USA from multiple perspectives. The results reveal that the GHG emissions from the production of a standard internal combustion engine-based passenger vehicle in China are around 9.6 ton per vehicle, 54% higher than the US level of 6.2 ton per vehicle. The power-intensive nature of vehicle production and China’s higher GHG emission intensity of power generation are the major reasons behind the difference. Accordingly, total GHG emissions from passenger vehicle production in China were around 173.9 million tons in 2013, accounting for nearly 3% of the GHG emissions from the manufacturing and construction sector. Based on the analysis, it is recommended that China should further optimize the grid mix and reduce the emission intensity of power generation. Besides, emission intensities of steel and aluminum productions should be further reduced through applying energy-efficient technologies and promoting material recycling.

Intelligent connected vehicles: the industrial practices and impacts on automotive value-chains in China

Abstract The intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) concept represents the commanding heights of prospective automotive product shape and technology, which will pose significant impacts on the value-chain of future automotive industry, especially in China. The development of ICV will also provide the Chinese automotive industry with a strategic opportunity for transformation and upgrading. Currently, the government and enterprises have increased investment in the research and application of ICV. A detailed study in the development of ICV in the PRC can have theoretical implications for exploiting the future automotive value-chain. From the perspective of value-chains, this article analyses ICV’s significant impacts on the new industrial value-chain and its essential features, according to the latest practical cases in China. On this basis, suggestions of upgrading paths are proposed for different categories of Chinese enterprises from the dimensions of process, product and functional upgrading.

Global Lithium Flow 1994–2015: Implications for Improving Resource Efficiency and Security

Lithium has been widely recognized as an essential metal for next-generation clean technologies. With the aim of identifying opportunities for improving lithium resource efficiency and security, this study establishes a long-term trade-linked material flow analysis framework to analyze lithium flow throughout the technological life cycle and across national boundaries during the 1994-2015 period. The results indicate that with broader purposes identified, global lithium production and consumption experienced rapid growth over the past decades. A widely distributed, actively functioning lithium trade network has been established, with the United States, China, the European Union, Chile, and Australia playing essential roles. Global lithium in-use stock, which is mainly embodied in ceramics and glass, reached 29 kilotons in 2015. The lithium stock contained in battery-related applications, together with the huge potential production of stock in future decades, represents a major opportunity for secondary lithium recovery. In the context of intensive international trade, international cooperation on lithium waste management is extremely important. It is also suggested that there is a high risk of lithium shortage for countries with strong dependence on lithium import. The establishment of domestic lithium reserves may be an option for these countries.

Analysis on China’s Fuel Consumption Standards and Its Influences on Curb Weight

With the explosive growth of China’s vehicle ownership, energy consumption and emissions from passenger vehicles become a major concern. The fuel consumption standards for passenger vehicles play an essential role in addressing such issues. In this study, four most important aspects of China’s fuel consumption standards, i.e., evaluation standard, constraint form, basic curb weight and the slope, are investigated. By establishing the database comprising the major characteristics of 2010–2015 new vehicles, the rationale of each aspect and the influences on China’s vehicle market and manufacture are analyzed. The results indicate that the evaluation standard and constraint form have strong impacts on the motivation of manipulation and the stress of achieving the standard targets. On the other hand, the basic curb weight and the slope have strong impacts on the change of curb weight and technology friendliness of lightweighting.