The Informal Working Group on Automotive Life Cycle Assessment decided not to submit the Working Document for the 95th GRPE session. The Mutual Resolution will not be submitted for adoption at the October 2026 GRPE session due to unresolved issues and lack of consensus. The leading team will prepare a status report for October 2026 GRPE describing progress, current status, remaining issues, and proposed way forward. A revised Terms of Reference extending the IWG mandate will be prepared. An additional meeting may be organized to determine the future work programme.

The A-LCA IWG will not submit a Mutual Resolution for adoption at the October 2026 GRPE session; instead, a status report will be presented to GRPE. Work towards completion of the methodology should continue and a revision of the Terms of Reference will be prepared. After the 95th GRPE session in October, an Information/Technical Exchange phase will start with continuation of technical meetings at reduced frequency and organisation of dedicated technical sessions only when required. Due to scaling back of A-LCA’s activities, SG2 activities will be suspended from October.

Draft agenda for the 43rd Session of the Informal Working Group on Automotive Life Cycle Assessment (IWG on A-LCA) meeting on July 6th, 2026, from 11:30~14:30 CET. The agenda includes welcome and introduction, adoption of the agenda and last meeting minutes, decision on Document Package, decision on Open Items, decision of the latest document, next steps including Report to GRPE and Revision of ToR, and closing.

Three options are presented for the document package. Option 1 proposes a Working Document to be submitted by 22 July 2026, with non-agreed items excluded from both memorandum and Informal Document, and a new section created to record non-agreement items. Option 2 proposes a Working Document submitted by 22 July 2026 and an Informal Document drafted by interest parties including Japan for submission during the 95th GRPE in October, titled Interim Guidance for A-LCA to assist practitioners with CFP calculation. Option 3 proposes a Working Document submitted by 22 July 2026 and an Informal Document produced by A-LCA IWG for submission during the 95th GRPE in October, with the same title and aim.

The 42nd IWG on A-LCA session met to review the document package for GRPE submission. The group discussed three submission options: a working document with open issues; agreed provisions only with open issues in a separate informal document; or agreed provisions only with open issues remaining within the IWG. No final decision was taken. Further discussions are required on Pre-consumer Scrap, Chain of Custody, Electricity Modelling, OVC-HEV, FCV, Battery and Powertrain Replacement. A dedicated electricity modelling meeting will be held on 30 June 2026, and the 43rd session is confirmed for 6 July 2026.

This document proposes a new Mutual Resolution No. 5 concerning Automotive Life Cycle Assessment. The use stage section (6.3) establishes methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption during vehicle operation across various levels, considering system boundaries encompassing tank-to-wheel and well-to-tank impacts, plus maintenance and consumables. Service life values are defined regionally based on average vehicle age at recycling. Energy consumption utilizes regional certification protocols adjusted by discrepancy and deterioration factors. The methodology addresses leakages including hydrogen and methane emissions, maintenance of consumables and parts with specified frequencies, and excludes major powertrain component replacement by default unless justified.

The 41st IWG on A-LCA session (26 May 2026) discussed the document package for submission to GRPE. Japan presented approaches for handling unresolved sections through working documents and supplementary explanatory material. The United States proposed including only consensus text in working documents. No final decision was taken. The group continued review of Table 1, Chain of Custody, Electricity and Energy Modelling, OVC-HEV and FCV methodology, and battery and major powertrain component replacement, with no agreement reached on these topics. The 42nd session is scheduled for 15 June 2026 and the 43rd for the week of 6 July 2026.

Proposal to establish Chain of Custody provisions for Automotive Life Cycle Assessment specifying five models—Identity Preserved, Segregation, Controlled Blending, Mass Balance, and Book and Claim—representing standardized approaches for collecting and managing company-specific information across supply chain settings. The Book and Claim model shall not be used. Government authorities reserve rights to define implementation rules specifying how Chain of Custody approaches are applied, based on alignment with global standards such as ISO and the GHG Protocol and the upcoming revision of the EF Recommendation (2279/2021). Minimum requirements shall be established for Mass Balance application to prevent diverse interpretations and misuse.

The IWG on A-LCA will discuss agreement on a document package to be submitted to GRPE, review the latest CoC covering general aspects including pre-consumer scrap, electricity/energy modeling, and OVC-HEV/FCV and battery/powertrain replacement, and determine next steps.

A-LCA IWG plans to submit a Working Document by 22nd July 2026 containing only items agreed by the entire IWG, with non-agreed items on CoC, Electricity Modeling, and Battery Replacement handled under one of three options: Option 1 creates a memorandum within the working document for non-agreement items; Option 2 submits a separate Informal Document titled Interim Guidance for A-LCA to help practitioners with CFP calculation; Option 3 similarly submits an Informal Document produced by A-LCA IWG during 95th GRPE in October, with both options reserving non-agreement items in the Working Document as discussion-starters for future work.

Working draft of notes concerning future activities to update the initial resolution on A-LCA.

The 40th session of the IWG on A-LCA met on 12 May 2026 to review the consolidated draft document. The group discussed transportation and distribution, Chain of Custody, electricity and energy modelling, OVC-HEV and FCV methodology, and battery and powertrain replacement provisions. No agreement was reached on several issues, which remain open. The leading team will organise small-group discussions on transportation and pre-consumer scrap. The United States will provide simplified electricity modelling text and proposed replacement battery text. Next sessions are scheduled for 26 May and 15 June 2026.

Agenda items include review of the latest document by SG7 leader, confirmation of closed items and assignments for the next session, and next steps.

A-LCA Informal Group will discuss how to deal with non-agreed items, review draft working documents, refine working documents if necessary, and finalize working documents, with a Document Package to be distributed by May 28th, draft working documents by June 19th, and working documents by July 17th, culminating in confirmation of open items at the 95th GRPE session in October.

Updated text for the use stage of the proposed Mutual Resolution No. 5 concerning Automotive Life Cycle Assessment (A-LCA) addressing use stage methodology, including system boundaries encompassing in-use energy consumption and GHG emissions covering well-to-tank and tank-to-wheel impacts, maintenance and consumables impacts, and leakages; defining service life values by contracting parties based on official data on vehicle age at recycling; establishing level concepts for selecting regional certification energy consumption values and determining discrepancy and deterioration factors to represent real-world performance; specifying methodologies for calculating in-use energy consumption for vehicles with single and dual-mode powertrains including off-vehicle charging hybrid electric vehicles; addressing methane, hydrogen, and fluorocarbon emissions; providing maintenance scope including consumables and maintenance parts with associated frequency determination; excluding replacement of major powertrain components by default unless justified; and requiring collection of specified activity data and GHG emission factors. Full text of the draft MR5 previously submitted as GRPE/2026/2.

Proposal to amend para. 6.3.1. to clarify use stage system boundaries, revise para. 6.3.2.1. regarding service life methodology and regional adaptation, delete and rewrite para. 6.3.3. on use stage consumption to introduce level concepts for certification values and restructure discrepancy and deterioration factor determination, reserve sections on vehicles with dual-mode powertrains and fuel cell and OVC-HEV deterioration calculations pending further development, amend para. 6.3.3.2.2.2. addressing OVC-HEV battery degradation (reserved), add para. 6.3.6.7. on swappable parts (reserved), and update Table 14 to include parts and/or components defined by vehicle manufacturer as mandatory for Level 3/Level 4 assessments, supported by GRPE/2026/2.

The A-LCA Subgroup 2 agenda for the 31st session (May 2026) addresses the status of the IWG on A-LCA and EC comments. The IWG plans to submit a Working Document containing only items agreed by the entire IWG, with non-agreed items handled as options. Open topics include chain of custody, electric modeling, OVC-HEV/FCV, and battery/power train replacement, with small group meetings scheduled and next steps identified. Adoption is targeted for the 95th GRPE in October 2026. SG2 will continue regular meetings with reduced hours until the next GRPE.

A-LCA IWG plans to submit a Working Document by 22 July 2026 containing only items agreed by the entire IWG, with non-agreed items handled under Option 1, 2, or 3. Option 1 creates a memorandum section within the Working Document for non-agreed items. Options 2 and 3 submit the Working Document and a separate Informal Document titled Interim Guidance for A-LCA during the 95th GRPE in October, aimed at helping practitioners with CFP calculation until reserved items are resolved.

The agenda includes discussion on a document package to be submitted to GRPE, and review of the latest leading document covering general aspects, electricity/energy modeling, OVC-HEV/FCV, and battery/power train replacement.

The A-LCA IWG will confirm open items and agree how to deal with nonagreed items by 12 May. A draft working document will be distributed by 12 June for review and refinement during the week of 6 July. The working document will be finalized by 17 June and distributed for final confirmation by 17 October, with presentation at the 95th GRPE session on 22 October.

Proposal to establish a new Mutual Resolution No. 5 (M.R.5) concerning Automotive Life Cycle Assessment (A-LCA) to provide an internationally harmonised methodology for determining carbon footprint of light-duty vehicles across all life cycle stages—material production, parts production and vehicle assembly, use, and end-of-life—using a level concept that distinguishes four levels of detail based on data availability and study purpose, applicable to different powertrain types and energy pathways, with provisions for energy modelling, recycling methodology, discrepancy and deterioration factors, maintenance assessment, and third-party verification requirements for Levels 3 and 4.

The agenda includes review of electricity/energy modeling, OVC-HEV/FCV, and battery/power train replacement.

The leading team was assigned to revise Table 1 and circulate a new proposal, integrate editorial changes accepted from US Environmental Protection Agency, and update the document following agreed deletions and wording changes. Contracting Parties are to provide input on Table 1 revision and participate in small-group discussions on pre-consumer scrap treatment, waste vs co-product classification, and Figure 4 applicability. Open issues to be revisited include market-mediated effects definition, system boundary terminology, and recycled content methodology. The European Commission cannot support adoption at this stage.

The A-LCA Subgroup 2 convened for its 30th session on 22 April 2026. The IWG is addressing EC comments on SG2 and tackling open topics one by one. Web IWG meetings are scheduled for 28 April and 12 May. The timeline targets adoption at the 95th GRPE in October 2026, with Working Document submission to the 94th GRPE. SG2 will continue regular meetings with reduced hours until the next GRPE, focusing on sharing of IWGs and preparation for the Test Phase.

The 37th session reviewed a consolidated working document on automotive life cycle assessment integrating comments from Contracting Parties, stakeholders, and the European Commission. Key unresolved issues include electricity modelling, chain of custody, primary data share, logistics, battery replacement, and vehicle lifetime assumptions. The leading team will update the overview table and identify priority issues for discussion. The next session is scheduled for 9 April 2026, with an internal milestone of 19 June 2026 to resolve outstanding issues.

Updated proposal as of 18 March 2026.

The 36th session of the Automotive Life Cycle Assessment IWG reviewed progress on a harmonised global methodology. SG7 will consolidate all comments by 1 April 2026 for line-by-line IWG review. Key unresolved items include PHEV methodology, component replacement approaches, and electricity modelling. Industry emphasised the need for a single global methodology and technology neutrality. The United States noted insufficient definition of methodological aspects. The group agreed to prioritise technical issues first, then policy-related issues, with virtual sessions in April and May. A decision point is targeted for 19 June 2026, with possible adoption at the October GRPE session. The IWG mandate extends to December 2026.