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Saving emissions in freight transport through lightweight construction? H-BRS analyses environmental impact

Wednesday 12 March 2025

Is it possible to save emissions when transporting goods by reducing the weight of vehicles? This has now been investigated by a team from research and industry in the NeLiPro joint project. The results of the environmental scientists from Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) show that another factor is more important for more sustainable freight transport than reducing weight.

65 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than in 1990: this is what Germany wants to achieve by 2030. However, there have hardly been any improvements in the transport sector so far. This is also due to freight transport, and in particular the transport of goods by road. The aim of the recently completed NeLiPro (Next Level Lightweight Production) research project was to manufacture vehicle parts with lightweight components: "Thanks to the lighter tare weight, trucks, for example, which are allowed to weigh a maximum of 40 tonnes in total, could carry more in future. This would save journeys and ultimately also emissions," says Eva Jurgeleit, research associate at the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE) at H-BRS, where the project was carried out.

Stabilisatorstuetze Leichtbau Forschungsprojekt NeLiPro IZNE
When assembled with a stabiliser, the stabiliser support counteracts the rolling of trucks when cornering. Photo: ZF Friedrichshafen

H-BRS team carries out life cycle analysis

In order to test the effects of the lighter weight, automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen has developed a prototype of a stabiliser support - a component that counteracts the rolling of trucks when assembled with a stabiliser when cornering. The H-BRS research team led by Professor Stefanie Meilinger accompanied the development process with a so-called life cycle analysis. The researchers analyse the environmental impact of a product - throughout its entire life cycle, from production to use and disposal. 

Unlike usual, the experts were involved in NeLiPro right from the start: "Normally, sustainability factors are only analysed after the product has already been developed. However, the project clearly showed that it is worth considering the life cycle assessment right from the start," says Stefanie Meilinger. For example, an initial draft still envisaged replacing steel parts of the reference product with aluminium. However, this resulted in an unexpectedly high level of emissions during production, which is why this was ultimately abandoned. "If you are interested in achieving the most effective results possible, you should include sustainability aspects as early as the product development stage," says Meilinger.

The type of drive plays a decisive role

In terms of weight, ZF Friedrichshafen was able to save around 14 per cent, approximately 300 grams, on the stabiliser support compared to the reference product. However, the researchers are sceptical as to whether this will lead to the entire vehicle being manufactured from lightweight components in the future: "Making trucks lighter has a positive effect on emissions. However, this effect varies depending on the type of drive used. The method is most effective when diesel engines continue to be used," says Eva Jurgeleit. When using alternative drive types, such as electric or hydrogen engines, the savings are significantly lower.

A holistic analysis also includes pointing out the poor properties of the lightweight rod after the period of use. For example, the material can no longer be dismantled into its individual parts after use in the lorry and therefore cannot be reused. In contrast, this is possible with the reference product, which is largely made of metal.

The NeLiPro (Next Level Lightweight Production) project is a joint project of ZF Friedrichshafen AG (project leader) in cooperation with Siemens AG, Rohmann GmbH, Schunk Kohlenstofftechnik GmbH, Faserinstitut Bremen e.V., the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Materials Research IFAM and H-BRS. It was funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) on the basis of a decision by the German Bundestag.
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About the research project

IZNE Logo ohne Text

International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE)

Contact

Stefanie Meilinger Portrait Nov 23 IZNE

Stefanie Meilinger

Professor for Sustainable Technologies, esp. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies, Director of the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE), Department Engineering and Communication (IWK)

Research fields

Location

Sankt Augustin

Room

F 321

Address

Grantham-Allee 20

53757 Sankt Augustin