The Circular Economy in Electric Motorcycle Manufacturing

Name: Salehabanu Jafarhussain Shaikh
Student No: P17512046
Course Code: ENGT5220
Module Name: Low Impact Manufacturing
Assignment-B: The Circular Economy
Date: 15/05/2019

The Circular Economy 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The circular economy concept is an economic system aimed at reducing wastes released during
the manufacture of electric motorcycles and making good use of the miscellaneous structural,
and electrical components used in electric motorcycle manufacturing. This paper evaluates the
application and description of the circular economy concept, description of the future system and
life cycle phases, description of short-term and short-term standards and policies that should be
implemented to make the material flow circular. The components used in the manufacture of
electric motorcycle can be categorized into electrical, structural, and miscellaneous. The
proposed concept of circular economy that can be incorporated in the manufacture of the electric
motorcycle include redesigning motorcycle, component recycling, components remanufacturing,
refurbishment, and reuse of parts.
Table of Contents

The Circular Economy 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................. 2
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 3
Structural Components........................................................................................... 4
Electrical Components............................................................................................. 4
Miscellaneous Components..................................................................................... 5
CIRCULAR ECONOMY CONCEPT..................................................................................6
Electric Motorcycle Design...................................................................................... 6
Reuse of Components............................................................................................. 7
Components Remanufacturing................................................................................8
Component Refurbishment..................................................................................... 8
Components Recycling............................................................................................ 9
FUTURE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM..................................................................................... 9
Electric Motorcycle Design...................................................................................... 9
Functionality Economy.......................................................................................... 10
Reuse, Recycling, and Remanufacturing Policies..................................................10
LIFE CYCLE STAGES.................................................................................................. 11
Sources and Composition...................................................................................... 10
Manufacturing process.......................................................................................... 11
Environmental Impacts......................................................................................... 12
Electric Motorcycle Sustainability..........................................................................12
LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM STANDARDS, POLICIES, AND STEPS........................13
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................ 16
BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................... 17
APPENDICES............................................................................................................
..................................................19
INTRODUCTION:

The Circular Economy 3
This research investigates the application of the concept of Circular Economy in the manufacture
of electric motorcycles to replace the current linear energy and material flows with no reuse and
recycling. The major components used in the manufacture of electric motorcycles include
electrical components, namely wheels, suspension, chassis, and seat assembly miscellaneous
components such as upholstery, tyres, bodywork, and transmission, and also structural
components, namely batteries, motors, circuit boards, switches, and wires. These components are
either delivered to the company by other manufacturers and then assembled when manufacturing
electric motorcycle or manufactured internally by the company (Lothar, 2013).
As a sustainability manager, there is a need to investigate the implementation of Circular
Economy concept which entails environmentally sustainability strategy involving the
development of economic models such that there is no production of serious effects to the
environment. This research seeks to evaluate the application and description of the circular
economy concept, description of the future system and life cycle phases, description of short-
term and short-term standards and policies that should be implemented to make the material flow
circular (Lothar, 2013).
Structural Components:
The structural parts used during the manufacture of electric motorcycles include wheels, seat
assembly, suspension, and chassis. There are two different categories of suspension system used
in motorcycles, the rear suspension and front suspension and the system entails the collection of
springs and shock absorbers. The suspension system is used in insulation of both the operator
and the motorcycle and provides control of the rider. The chassis is essentially the framework or
internal structural part that supports the transmission system, wheels, and steering system. Both
the front and rear wheels are joined indirectly to the chassis frame through a suspension system
directly joined with the wheels (Nunn, 2011).

The Circular Economy 4
Figure 1: Parts of Electric Motorcycle (Knight, 2018)
The resources used in the manufacture of the metallic components can be made circular
collecting the structural components then shredding them by breaking and crushing the metallic
parts into tiny pieces for purification and melting. During this remanufacturing process, the
purification process is done to ensure that the ultimate component is of high quality and free
from contamination. The molten metals can then be solidified into any shape required when
making new structural component (Nunn, 2011).
Electrical Components:
Majority of electrical components used in the electric motorcycle manufacturing are
manufactured by other companies and then supplied to be assembled. These components include
electric batteries, motors, circuit boards, and switches. Motors are used in driving the wheels of
the electric motorcycles and the rear wheel is coupled to the motor. The circuit boards are
electrical connections that are used in the connection of electrical parts to permit the transmission
of electrical signals and current. The circuit boards are intended by other companies and then
delivered to the company for assembly purposes. The batteries used in powering the electric
motorcycles are the lead-acid batteries which are supplied from another company (Daemi &
Ebrahimi, 2012).

The Circular Economy 5
The flow of resources used in manufacturing electrical components can be made circular by first
collecting the dumped motorcycle or damaged components, and the disassembling the electrical
component safely by starting with the delicate components such as lead acid batteries to avoid
spillage of the acid. The electrical components can then be reused in other motorcycle if they are
still in working condition or returned to the company that supplied them for their recycling. The
energy flow of batteries can be made circular through recycling of the lead acid batteries after
they have been disassembled from the old motorcycles by first grinding the batteries,
neutralizing the acids, and then polymer separation from the lead. The materials recovered can be
reused in making new batteries (Daemi & Ebrahimi, 2012).
Miscellaneous Components:
The upholstery and transmission systems are delivered to the company by manufacturers as well
as tyres. The upholstery is used in covering the tires and seats for the purposes of beautification
and also last longer. It implies that the recycling of these parts is completely up to their
manufacturing companies but their reuse can be done by the company by removing them from
old or damaged motorcycles are then reusing them as spare parts or in the manufacture of
second-hand motorcycles (Ma’arof, et al., 2015).
CIRCULAR ECONOMY CONCEPT:
The circular economy concept is an economic system aimed at reducing wastes released during
the manufacture of electric motorcycles and making good use of the miscellaneous structural,
and electrical components used in electric motorcycle manufacturing. This concept is an
alternative to the conventional linear economy that is currently being used in the manufacture of
the electric motorcycle which involves, manufacture, reuse, and disposal (Deborah, 2015).