Lightweight bogies slash carbon footprint of electric trains, study finds.
The environmental impacts of a bogie in an electric motor unit were evaluated using a simplified life cycle assessment. The study found that the weight of the bogie parts significantly influenced its environmental impacts, with abiotic resource depletion and global warming being the main concerns. Global warming was mainly caused by CO₂ emissions from energy consumption, while abiotic resource depletion was primarily due to the use of iron ore for steel manufacturing. To reduce the environmental impacts of the bogie, it is suggested to make the electric motor unit lighter and improve energy efficiency.