Bibliometric Study of Life Cycle Analysis Applied to Motor Vehicles

Abstract

Purpose: Conducting a bibliometric analysis of papers on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of motor vehicles published over the last 20 years.   Theoretical framework: Bibliometric analysis, a discipline within scientometrics, uses mathematical and statistical methods to synthesize and evaluate publications, identifying trends and structures in specific research fields.   Method: The bibliometric analysis was conducted using data from Scopus and Web of Science, and it assessed the impact and trends of scientific production, correlating keywords to explore connections between themes. Articles from the last two decades were analyzed to quantify the relevance of the studied topic.   Results and conclusion: Using the Bibliometrix algorithm in R, 512 published articles were analyzed. The results indicated a significant increase in research output in this field of study, as demonstrated by the substantial growth in the number of published articles and citations.   Research implications: This bibliometric study reveals key trends and guides future innovations in the environmental and transportation sectors, highlighting the transition towards more sustainable options.   Originality/value: This groundbreaking work provides valuable insights into the life cycle of vehicles with various propulsion technologies, emphasizing the evolution and environmental impacts of electric, hybrid, internal combustion, and fuel cell vehicles.