In Foshan, China, we are currently putting into operation Noise reduction

In Foshan, China, we are currently putting into operation Noise reduction

a manufacturing process that is virtually free of waste Responsible concern for the environment means that an water. At that site, waste water is collected in a biological automobile manufacturer must consider the full range of sewage treatment plant with membrane bioreactors and its vehicles’ effects. Increasingly, this includes the topic of treated so that it can be reused. This technology is 98% noise. Volkswagen is facing up to this responsibility – not effective in relation to biologically degradable water contam- only by striving for ever lower noise emissions from ination. The plant is the first of its kind in the Chinese individual vehicles, but also in the form of far-reaching automotive sector and the largest in the Volkswagen Group.

activities in the area of overall traffic noise. The goal is to In the Taubaté plant in Brazil, water usage has been cut better understand the influence that cars have on traffic by 20% thanks to a painting process without fillers and an noise so as to identify which tasks will be assumed in the innovative overspray removal method.

future by vehicle manufacturers and when – as part of a Water consumption at the Puebla location in Mexico comprehensive approach – there is also a need for dialog

dropped from 5.1 m 3 per vehicle in 1999 to around 3.0 m 3 with other participants.

currently. This success is based on improved treatment of In cooperation with the internationally prominent Lärm- waste water and the use of intelligent facilities that collect kontor GmbH, Hamburg, we developed a “noise level tool” rainwater and make it usable.

that will be able to compare measures to quantitatively So far, we have made good progress in 2012 in the reduce noise in terms of its effect on the noise level on the reforestation project at the Popocatépetl volcano in Mexico. whole as well as on the number of those affected in a model The newly planted trees and other measures ensure that city. The main focus is on total traffic, not on individual the ground there can store more rainwater. This adds vehicles. An innovative feature is that this “noise level tool”

around 2.6 million m 3 to the groundwater a year – signifi- indicates noise pollution for the first time, meaning how cantly more than the Volkswagen plant in Puebla requires.

much noise is “perceived” by how many of the city’s inhabi- Volkswagen informs the public and its stakeholders in tants. Previously, looking exclusively at the sources of noise detail on how the Company uses water. It has participated produced a skewed picture of the effectiveness of noise- in the Water Disclosure Project (WDP) since 2011, making reduction measures. The control variables include traffic its information available to the public. A key aspect of this volume, the proportion of passenger cars and commercial is the “water footprint”, which we calculated for selected vehicles, speed, road surface, engine noise and rolling noise. models based on the comprehensive data from our envi-

These activities are Volkswagen’s contribution to ronmental impact studies. This basis allows us to identify ensuring that future measures for reducing noise are better which processes consume the most water in the entire

coordinated and that funds can be used more selectively.

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VOC EMISSIONS (VOLATI LE ORGAN IC COMPOUN DS)* in grams per vehicle

FRESH WATER CONSUMPTION* in cubic meters per vehicle

DISPOSABLE WASTE* in kilograms per vehicle

CO 2 EMISSIONS* in kilograms per vehicle

ENERGY CONSUMPTION* in megawatt hours per vehicle

Fuel gas 2010

2.06 Energy and heat

* Production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.

Lifecycle assessment and environmental ratings

The Brazilian magazine “Auto Esporte” awarded the Gol Volkswagen uses lifecycle assessments as an instrument for Ecomotion and the Polo BlueMotion the “Green Car of the reducing a vehicle’s environmental impact. We evaluate Year” award last year – one of the top prizes for efficient vehicles, components and materials as part of these analyses, vehicles in Brazil. from the first design sketches through production and use,

Every year, the ADAC presents one of the most important down to disposal, because a vehicle does not use energy prizes in the automotive industry: the “Golden Angel”. The and generate emissions in its usage phase alone. Since the natural gas-fueled Passat TSI EcoFuel was recognized in environmental impact varies in the different phases of the the “Car of the Future” category. Its low-emission drive lifecycle, we take a range of measures to make mobility as system clinched its success. environmentally friendly as possible.

MAN was awarded five different prizes in Brazil for its The lifecycle inventory is the first step in the assess- environmentally friendly technologies. The “ AEA Environ-

ment. We compile data for this on every material, component ment Award” from the Association of Brazilian Automotive and step in the process. The data provides a picture of all of Engineers went to the Constellation 17.280 6x2 Híbrido the emissions in the air, water and ground, and of the for pioneering work in the development of the first waste generated during the entire lifecycle. In addition, Brazilian hybrid truck. This hybrid truck also received two the lifecycle inventory indicates how much primary energy is “Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards”. MAN won the used for the complete life of a car and the amount of emissions “Top Ethanol Award” for a vehicle from the TGS series that

that are generated, such as CO 2 , carbon monoxide, sulfur can be powered flexibly by both diesel and ethanol. dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, or methane.

Another award went to MAN for its forward-looking The potential environmental impact of a vehicle is research into the use of bioenergy. estimated in the second step. The various material flows

The commercial vehicle trade journals “Verkehrsrund- from production, usage and recycling are then allocated to schau” and “Trucker” awarded the “Green Truck” title for the environmental impact categories – the greenhouse the second time in 2012. It was won by the Scania R 480 effect, summer smog, acidification, ozone depletion and Euro 6, which stood out from the competition thanks to its overfertilization.

extremely low fuel consumption and ensuing low CO 2 The final step is certification in accordance with the emissions, as well as its compliance with the Euro 6 ISO EN 14040 standard. Volkswagen uses external experts, emission standard. for example the German TÜV Nord inspection organization,

Volkswagen moved up two spots year-on-year to fourth to verify that it has acted in compliance with this standard; place in the global sustainability ranking for the “Best it presents the results of the lifecycle assessment trans- Global Green Brands 2012” by brand consulting company parently in the form of an environmental commendation. Interbrand. This makes Volkswagen both the most environ- In the reporting period, for example, the new Golf was mentally friendly automobile manufacturer and the “greenest” awarded such a commendation, which documents ecological company in Germany. progress compared with the previous model over the entire lifecycle.

Fuel and drivetrain strategy

The use of efficient, sustainable drivetrains is a highly

External environmental awards

important strategic issue for Volkswagen. The Group is not In fiscal year 2012, the Volkswagen Group’s brands and only working to continuously optimize its existing drivetrains projects received many awards for being environmentally but is also – as in the past – pursuing a variety of alternative

friendly. drive concepts, and especially electric traction. At present, The German consumer organization Stiftung Warentest our customers primarily choose conventional engines to investigated nine car-sharing providers in Germany and drive their vehicles. Electrified drive technology and the Netherlands in 2012. Volkswagen Financial Services’ conventional combustion engines will continue to coexist Quicar offering scored 1.8, the top score in the test. Quicar in the future on the road to carbon-neutral, sustainable convinced the experts in the categories for booking, mobility. This coexistence will be flanked by a steady driving and online presence, among other factors.

increase in the share of carbon-neutral energy sources, be Verkehrsclub Deutschland e.V. determines the most it in the form of renewable power for electric vehicles, the environmentally-friendly each year. The natural gas-fueled production of carbon-neutral biofuels, or synthetic natural Volkswagen eco up! was the overall winner for 2012/2013. gas. The latter is produced in electrolysis and methanation

Its emissions of 79 grams of CO 2 /km set new environmental plants fueled by wind-powered electricity. It can be used and economic benchmarks. In addition to its first place among other things to power specially developed CNG finish in the overall ranking, the eco up! also won the “Best combustion engines. It addition, the Group is examining for the Environment” category.

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innovative renewable fuels that bind CO 2 during production The Group’s efficiency models show what can already be and that put carbon-neutral mobility within grasping achieved today by combining efficient conventional drives distance.

and vehicle innovations such as low rolling resistance tires Particularly in global growth markets such as Russia, and aerodynamic measures. At Volkswagen, they are India and the Far East, combustion engines look set from available under the “BlueMotion” label, at ŠKODA they are today’s perspective to serve as the broad basis for drive known as the “GreenLine” models and at SEAT they go by

technology in the coming years. Given the need to use the name of “ECOMOTIVE” . With CO 2 emissions of 87 g/km resources responsibly, it is crucial to optimize combustion and fuel consumption of only 3.3 l per 100 km, the Polo engines here so as to facilitate sustainable, forward-looking BlueMotion is one of the most environmentally-friendly mobility. In response to this challenge, the Volkswagen and economical five-door vehicles in the world. The new Group has developed entirely new generations of petrol and Golf BlueMotion – available from mid-2013 onwards – diesel engines that are being incorporated successively with its new 1.6 TDI engine will have an average fuel

into its vehicle range. These drivetrains were used in the consumption of only 3.2 l per 100 km and CO 2 emissions of successor models for the Audi A3 and Golf for the first time

a mere 85 g/km. The ŠKODA Octavia GreenLine that will be in 2012.

introduced in 2013 emits only 89 g/km CO 2 and uses 3.4 l All the new engines feature turbocharging, direct injec- diesel per 100 km. The eco up! that was launched at the tion and a start-stop system as a standard feature. In end of 2012 has a 1.0 CNG engine and CO 2 emissions of addition, they make use of other fuel-saving technologies merely 79 g/km. such as intelligent thermomanagement for reducing mechan-

What is more, the Audi and Porsche brands provide ical and energy losses, recuperation, demand-driven auxiliary impressive proof that premium-segment diesel engines can power unit management and variable valve management.

be both dynamic and economical. The twin turbocharged Many Group vehicles with petrol engines started using 3.0 TDI engine in the new Audi SQ5 TDI has an output of active cylinder management for the first time in 2012, 230 kW (313 PS) and uses a mere 6.8 l of diesel per 100 km. which automatically switches off individual cylinders Porsche’s Cayenne S diesel offers another example of twin without the driver noticing when they are not needed. This turbocharger technology in the form of its 4.2 l V8 diesel innovative technology cuts fuel consumption by up to 0.5 l engine, which has an output of 281 kW (382 PS). It uses a per 100 km, depending on the engine involved. Active mere 8.3 l of diesel per 100 km. cylinder management is used in the Polo BlueGT, the new

Our successful TSI , TFSI and TDI engines, ideally Golf, the Audi A3, S6, S7 Sportback and S8 models and the combined with the Group’s innovative direct shift gear- Bentley Continental.

boxes, offer a good starting point for efficient vehicle propul- Driver profile selection is another means of reducing sion now and in the future. They can be combined with fuel consumption. It is already integrated into several electrical components on a modular basis to produce hybrid Volkswagen Group vehicles and was included in a volume drives. Plug-in versions of these vehicles can be recharged model – the new generation of the Golf – for the first time via electrical outlets and – depending on the model in 2012. The eco, normal and sport modes selected by the concerned – can cover between 20 and 80 km in purely driver are used in engine and gear management and to electric mode. switch auxiliary power units and the air conditioning on and off as necessary.

TH E ROAD TO CARBON-NEUTRAL MOBILITY

Conventional electricity

F uel cell

Battery power

Carbon

Carbon-neutral electricity

Plug-in hybrid

Carbon-neutral fuels

Hybrid drive

neutral and

sustainable Conventional fuels

(liquid, gaseous)

Combustion engine

mobility

When it comes to drive electrification, hybrids – and performance batteries and building up technological particularly plug-in hybrids – are a core topic for the Volks- expertise in the area of battery chemistry are both vital to wagen Group, since these are currently the best way of increasing the range and hence the attractiveness of supplementing petrol and diesel engines. They combine electric vehicles. Another challenge is integrating electric the benefits of two technologies and hence meet a number

cars into the existing infrastructure. A large number of of customer expectations: an unlimited range thanks to questions still need to be answered together with the their combustion engines, an attractive electric drive unit government, municipal authorities and utilities with respect for day-to-day urban use, no restrictions on speed, hill- to the recharging strategy to be adopted (“smart grid”), climbing ability, or trailer loads and substantial potential how to construct an end-to-end infrastructure, particularly

of rapid charging stations, and how to book charging is mounting a major new push for this technology, a key points and bill the electricity provided. In the Volkswagen element of which is its integration into the modular toolkit

for reducing CO 2 emissions. As a result, Volkswagen Group

Group’s opinion, the intelligent combination of the strategy. This underscores the importance of e-mobility automotive, power generation and telecommunications within the Group, giving it a firm, long-term place in its sectors offers the opportunity to ease the transition to product strategy. Combined drives are already available e-mobility for customers, or to make it attractive for them – today in a large number of vehicle classes in the form of the

for example by providing new services and business hybrid versions of the Jetta, Touareg, Audi Q5, Audi A6, models, such as mobile online services that give details on Audi A8, Porsche Cayenne S and Porsche Panamera S models.

battery charge levels and recharging options. Volkswagen will also ring in the age of pure-play e-

Volkswagen will manufacture not only the bodywork mobility in 2013 with the market launch of the e-up! and but also the core components of electric cars – the electric then the e-Golf. The Group brands performed extensive motor and the battery system. The Kassel plant has been international fleet trials with purely electric vehicles and a

designated to manufacture the motors, while the battery large number of different customer groups in fiscal year modules will be assembled into battery systems in the 2012 and were able to optimize the technology, its Braunschweig facility. suitability for daily use and user requirements for later

This basic mix of conventional and alternative tech- series production. At present, for example, ten ŠKODA nologies and Volkswagen’s modular toolkit strategy, which Octavia Green E Line vehicles are in use at a number of allows innovations to be incorporated rapidly into different customers in the Czech Republic. However, a number of vehicles, means that the Group is optimally positioned to challenges still have to be mastered before electric vehicles

meet the challenges that the future will bring. can be launched onto the wider market. Developing high-

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Biodiversity

lishing green corridors for wild cats together with the Biological diversity and functioning ecosystems are at the

Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz (BUND) , Germany’s heart of life itself and of economic activity. Despite this

League for the Environment and Nature Conservation knowledge, however, we are facing a dramatic loss in species, > Financial and organizational support for extensive moor ecosystems and genetic diversity. This makes preserving

restoration projects in northern Germany biodiversity one of the most urgent tasks we are currently > Preparation of a feasibility study on the restoration of facing. Businesses are also called on to take responsibility

moors in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia in this area. At Volkswagen, protecting biodiversity has > Continuation of Volkswagen Group China’s Green Future been a corporate goal since 2007. Although industrial

Environmental Education Initiative together with Chinese enterprises contribute to this through classic nature and

partners, for the first time with the support of the species conservation projects, their key contribution is by

Naturschutzjugend (NAJU) , the youth wing of Germany’s reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring effective

Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) environmental management at their production locations. Systematic ongoing stakeholder dialog is vital to species Volkswagen aims to play a pioneering role in protecting conservation, which is why Volkswagen has actively sought biodiversity, which is why we drove forward integration of to exchange information and opinions with associations this topic with our processes in the period under review. In and institutions. For example, the Group sponsored the addition, we participated in the following projects, among Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the others:

Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad, India, in > Support for scientific research into biodiversity through October 2012. In addition, Volkswagen was active in the