Assesing exergy consumption in the mobility sector. From direct fuel use to material manufacturing

The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources along with the electrification of transport has increased the demand for materials, particularly metals. This is because modern technologies such as electric batteries and infrastructure for renewableelectricity require more metals than previous technological systems. Understanding the exergy costs associated with materialproduction in transportation systems allows us to evaluate how the energy transition impacts the mobility sector, a relativelyunexplored area. This study assesses the exergy costs in materials per kilometre travelled and per tonne of load transported indifferent freight transportation systems, technologies and energy sources. The analyzed cases include road freight transportation, considering diesel and electricity as energy sources. This approach enables a circular thermoeconomic analysis that not only accounts for the direct fuel consumption but also the infrastructure, which plays a critical role in the context of the energy transition. The results provide crucial insights into resource optimization and environmental impact reduction, contributing to the development of strategies that align with global sustainability objectives in the mobility sector. Moreover, the study highlights a shift in material composition between internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), where the latter relies more on strategic metals with higher Thermodynamic Rarity. While the electric truck shows higher exergy costs due to valuable