Calculating the carbon footprint of batteries
Customized solution for efficient and accurate calculation
The new Battery Regulation Act requires the CO₂ footprint of batteries in vehicles to be disclosed from February 2025. To meet this requirement, the client uses the parts lists and data from various suppliers. We have developed a customized solution for them that not only meets the legal requirements but also significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of CO₂ calculations.
Challenge
The customer faced several challenges: Calculating the carbon footprint for each battery system and manufacturing plant required the use of a wide variety of parts lists and data from all suppliers, as well as in-house developments. In addition, the confidentiality of battery information was of utmost importance, as it was subject to strict confidentiality levels. Manual steps in Excel and the use of redundant data led to inefficient processes that were both time-consuming and error-prone. The need to automate these processes while supporting the company’s sustainability goals was clear.
Client
Automotive OEM
Team
1 project manager
1 UX/UI professional
1 requirements engineer
3 software developers
Industry
Automotive
Project duration
01.11.2023 – today
Methods
To overcome these challenges, we adopted a structured approach. First, we analyzed the manufacturing process and conducted tours of the battery production facility. In doing so, we identified all relevant stakeholders and interfaces. Working in a small, cross-functional team, we developed various hypotheses and tested them in the pre-development phase. Our solution was to enable the input of material number, date, and factory for the unique identification of a battery system. This information was compared with existing primary data to obtain accurate CO₂ information.
Solution
The developed solution integrated seamlessly into the customer’s existing technology stack and was initially used by life cycle assessors and battery experts. In the future, there is the possibility of expanding the user group to include engineers and after-sales colleagues.
Once the project is complete, a semi-automated and globally available life cycle assessment (LCA) for batteries will be possible, which can also be scaled for the calculation of entire vehicles.
The customer benefits from significant time savings, as many hours of manual calculations and data entry are no longer necessary. We have also implemented a security system that alerts users to missing or incorrect data.
The developed solution integrated seamlessly into the customer’s existing technology stack and was initially used by life cycle assessors and battery experts. In the future, there is the possibility of expanding the user group to include engineers and after-sales colleagues.
Once the project is complete, a semi-automated and globally available life cycle assessment (LCA) for batteries will be possible, which can also be scaled for the calculation of entire vehicles.
The customer benefits from significant time savings, as many hours of manual calculations and data entry are no longer necessary. We have also implemented a security system that alerts users to missing or incorrect data.
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