 The paper proposes a new methodology for integrating prospective life cycle assessments, LCA, into product development. It demonstrates how this methodology can be applied to a case study of a structural component in three different designs, steel, aluminum, and hybrid. The results showed that the application of appropriate decarbonization measures could reduce the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95% until 2050. Additionally, it was found that shifts in the environmentally optimal design were possible in future scenarios. This methodology therefore contributes to improved decision-making and product development. This article was authored by Moritz Osterman, Julian Grants, Marcel Trebus, and others.