Comprehensive evaluation of greenhouse gas emission reductions from alternative vehicle powertrains requires the use of a life cycle assessment methodology, which considers manufacturing, utilization and end-of-life phases of the vehicle and fuel production. However, vehicle powertrain technologies and regional electricity and fuel production characteristics are evolving rapidly, making such studies performed using current data obsolete in few years. For example, regional electricity generation mixes across the Canadian provinces are largely different, and they are likely to evolve with the introduction of renewable electricity. Hence, there is a general need for adaptable and flexible life cycle assessment frameworks for the transportation sector for rapid evaluation of GHG reductions using up-to-date data. The objective of this study is to develop an adaptive life cycle assessment framework for light duty vehicles that can incorporate critical new developments in vehicle powertrain technologies and changes in electricity and fuel supply. Conventional, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell powertrain types are included in the framework as parametrized models. Critical parameters related to vehicle size and battery capacity, fuel consumption, mileage, battery chemistry, vehicle hybridization, and electricity and fuel emission intensity are incorporated. The framework was demonstrated by applying it in the Canadian context with the analysis of scenarios associated with electricity grid emission intensity, mileage, battery capacity and battery chemistry.

对替代车辆动力系统温室气体减排的综合评估需要使用生命周期评估方法，该方法考虑了车辆和燃料生产的制造、使用和报废阶段。然而，车辆动力总成技术以及区域电力和燃料生产特性正在迅速发展，使得使用当前数据进行的此类研究在几年内就过时了。例如，加拿大各省的区域发电组合大不相同，它们很可能随着可再生电力的引入而发展。因此，运输部门普遍需要适应性强且灵活的生命周期评估框架，以便使用最新数据快速评估温室气体减排量。本研究的目的是为轻型车辆开发一个自适应生命周期评估框架，该框架可以结合车辆动力系统技术的关键新发展以及电力和燃料供应的变化。传统的、混合动力、插电式混合动力、电池电动和燃料电池动力系统类型作为参数化模型包含在框架中。包括与车辆尺寸和电池容量、燃料消耗、里程、电池化学、车辆混合动力以及电力和燃料排放强度相关的关键参数。该框架通过在加拿大环境中的应用得到了证明，分析了与电网排放强度、里程、电池容量和电池化学相关的情景。