As EV adoption accelerates in the U.S., the flow of second-hand EVs to Mexico is expected to increase, raising concerns about environmental justice and the management of end-of-life (EOL) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Utilizing a regionally expanded life cycle assessment (LCA), the study models the lifecycle emissions of these vehicles, factoring in changes in grid mixes, vehicle usage patterns, and EOL processes between the two countries. The results aim to inform policies that balance environmental benefits with social equity in the regional EV transition.

This project utilized data from a range of authoritative sources, including OEM technical specifications, trade statistics, vehicle registration records, electricity generation data, and life cycle inventories from the Ecoinvent database. Key vehicle models were selected to represent different market segments and propulsion technologies, ensuring relevance to current market trends. The data was processed through a regionally expanded life cycle assessment (LCA), which modeled the environmental impacts of second-hand electric vehicle (EV) trade between the U.S. and Mexico. This included analyzing vehicle survivability, battery degradation, and energy efficiency. The resulting data informed the life cycle impact assessment, focusing on GHG emissions, human health, and ecosystem damage, providing insights into the environmental and social implications of this cross-border EV trade.