Never before has humanity been more conscious of how seriously global warming affects daily life and productive endeavors. According to an interim report on the State of the Global Climate 2022 released by the World Meteorological Organization on Tuesday, millions of people around the world were affected by extreme heat waves, droughts, and devastating floods this year, which also resulted in billions of dollars in damage. The last eight years are expected to be the warmest on record due to rising greenhouse gas concentrations, with 2022 perhaps ranking fifth or sixth.
The automotive industry, which has been a major “contributor” of global greenhouse gas emissions, has taken the lead in updating the world’s energy structure in recent years and is accelerating the transition to electrification. Luxury brands, which have been setting the standard for automobile technology, are becoming significant forces behind this abrupt transformation. Among these, the enterprise’s capacity for sustainable development is expected to play a significant role in determining the luxury of the brand and the success of the reform.
The Audi plant in Brussels is the world’s first carbon-neutral mass-production plant for high-end vehicles
This capability is evident not only in electric products, but also in the transformation of company thinking, the concept of sustainability, and goals into decision-making. Audi is already in the lead in this area. Audi’s most recent strategy of “Vorsprung 2030” recognized ESG as a priority area of activity in 2022, and ESG ideas were incorporated into all company and product-related choices after that.
Environment, Social Responsibility, and Corporate Governance make up the term “ESG.” It is a brand-new system for evaluating corporate performance that emphasizes governance, social, and environmental factors. Audi is also fully integrating the idea of ESG-oriented “green luxury” in every aspect of the process, including the creation of value and production, employees and society, operation and integrity of the entire value chain, and corporate behavior.
Audi’s line of electric vehicles
Audi has also created a clear roadmap for the transition to electric vehicles in terms of products and services. The production of internal combustion engines will be gradually phased out worldwide by 2033, starting with the introduction of new models by Audi for the global market in 2026. Audi has also become the first German high-end automaker to announce a roadmap for the exit of its fuel car business. Audi has also designed its products with sustainability in mind from the start. For instance, Audi employs materials for seat padding like ECONYL®, which can be completely recycled once a car is scrapped, in its Audi urbansphere, which focuses on urban traffic in China.
Audi’s interior design idea of urbansphere
The automobile has a long manufacturing chain, many parts, complicated materials, and numerous links that emit carbon dioxide. As a result, the entire industrial chain and life cycle from product design, procurement, production, marketing, and recycling can achieve closed recycling, which can decarbonize and cut greenhouse gas emissions to the greatest extent possible.
Audi has increased its investments in the circular economy. The garbage produced during the manufacture of automobiles fell by more than 5,000 tonnes in 2021 compared to 2020, and the average amount of waste produced by a single automobile reduced by around 2 kg. More than 95% of this waste was recycled. The number of Audi car parts created from recycled materials is increasing today. For instance, 27 components of the Audi Q4 e-tron (overseas version)—including floor MATS, luggage liners, insulation, and vibration filtering materials—are created from recycled resources, such as industrial waste.
Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron (Overseas version)
Audi aims to achieve carbon dioxide neutrality at all of its own production sites by 2025 in terms of value creation and production. For instance, a solar photovoltaic system installed on the production site’s roof will produce more than 30 million kilowatts of electricity each year. Biomass fuels will be used to produce green and clean energy for the supply of heat. In order to achieve effective water recycling, water closed-loop management will be created through the enhanced treatment of biofilm and RO membrane. Additionally, Audi is urging its component suppliers to reduce emissions. Audi started its carbon reduction program of supply chain in 2018, and by 2021, the program has reduced supply chain carbon emissions by more than 480,000 metric tons.