Volkswagen detailed how it plans to become net carbon neutral by 2050, including a major investment in renewable technologies and a commitment to reduce CO2 emissions per vehicle in Europe by 40% by the end of the decade .
VW presented the decarbonization roadmap at its first Way to Zero convention. The company is focused on developing its new range of ID-branded electric vehicles, and CEO Ralf Brandstätter has said he will now push to reduce carbon emissions from his production process.
“Our big electric offensive was just the start,” said Brandstätter. “We take a holistic approach to decarbonization: from production to lifespan to recycling.”
Brandstätter added: “With size and success comes responsibility. In 2020, the Volkswagen Group’s global carbon footprint was 369 million tonnes. If Volkswagen were a country, it would rank alongside the UK as the 10th largest emitter.
VW has set itself the target of achieving a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions per vehicle in Europe by 2040 compared to 2018 levels, which the company says is about 17 tonnes less CO2.
To achieve the climate objectives introduced in the European Green Deal, Brandstätter said the brand needs to increase its share of electric vehicle sales from 35% to 55% by 2030, which translates to an additional 300,000 units per year. But the company has set a target for 70% of European sales to be electric by that date, as well as more than 50% of sales to the United States and China.
To boost sales of electric vehicles, VW will launch at least one new model of electric identification each year. Brandstatter added that “Emobility has won, and there is no turning back. Great news for the planet.”
VW says it is working to decarbonize its production and supply chains and has pledged that by 2030 all of its factories, except those in China, will be powered solely by ‘green’ electricity ‘. It is also introducing more sustainable components in the construction of its ID vehicles and claims that CO2 emissions will now be a key criterion when awarding contracts to suppliers.
The company is also pushing to expand its battery recycling operation, and says it intends to recycle more than 90% of the raw materials used in its batteries in the future.
To ensure that its electric vehicles are as carbon neutral as possible, VW will finance the construction of several renewable energy projects, including wind farms and solar power plants in several regions of Europe. The first project is a solar power plant in Tramm-Göthen, Germany, with a capacity of 170 million kilowatt hours per year.
By 2025, VW says the facilities it has funded will produce seven terawatt hours of green electricity, and says it will increase that output to match the number of ID vehicles on the road.
Brandstätter declared that VW “was taking responsibility by setting binding targets [that] we must be measured ”. But he added: “Volkswagen cannot assume the decarbonisation of mobility on its own. It is a joint effort. Government, industry and society must come together to discuss innovative ideas, find new solutions and make courageous investments. “
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-04-29 07:16:24
