Manufacturing

Volkswagen believes that a vehicle's environmental impact starts right from the production of its materials, continuing through manufacturing, transport and eventually to its recycling: resources and energy are consumed, waste water and material are produced and land area is used. To suitably reduce these environmental impacts to a minimum, it is essential to consider the entire life cycle. We analyze how new vehicles, components and materials are created – from the first design sketch to production and the use phase right up to recycling.

Read more about the environmental principles for our new production plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Fuel and Propulsion

As we continue to develop new technologies, one consideration is paramount: sustainability.

In the near-term, we will continue to advance our engineering for the best possible power/efficiency/low emissions return from petroleum-based fuels. Meanwhile, our power systems will accommodate synthetic fuels and other alternatives such as compressed natural gas. In subsequent stages, more fuels will be produced from biomass and we will be prepared with products to maximize that progress.

Synthetic fuels contain neither sulfur nor aromatics and have the potential to bring about substantial reductions in vehicle exhaust emissions of nitrous oxides and soot particles. When these synthetic fuels are produced from biomass materials they can also offer substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Practical trials, pilot systems and long-term studies have already shown that synthetic fuels are now ready for problem-free use.

Support for Sustainability
Development of fuels from biomass, and research for alternative power systems need active public and political support. Consumer awareness and demand add up to one of the most powerful forces for progressive change.

Future Fuels
Our definition of vision is the ability to see over the technology horizon. It requires little imagination to see that alternative fuels must be an important part of our future; the challenge lies in designing technologies to maximize that future.

Fuels created from biomass are quickly emerging as a valuable petroleum alternative. Our advanced diesel power systems thrive on a variety of approved biomass fuels produced from sources such as plant matter, agricultural waste and food processing byproducts and available at authorized fueling stations.

Volkswagen Research is working in partnership with a German University on a breakthrough project called Sunfuel®, a next generation biofuel that involves biomass-to-gas conversion. Once gas is generated from biomass, it can then be converted into diesel fuel. SunFuel® is almost CO2-neutral and can be used to power all engines in the Volkswagen Group's current model range.

Volkswagen is committed to the development of synthetic biofuels that have a high CO2-reduction potential, placing the emphasis on ensuring that these fuels do not impact on the food chain.

Bentley will introduce renewable fuels across the entire Bentley range by 2012. This renewable fuel solution will be based around the incorporation of “FlexFuel” powertrains — engines that can use either biofuel or gasoline — into Bentley cars, dramatically cutting CO2 emissions on a well-to-wheel basis.

These biomass fuels offer exciting potential. Our futuristic power systems coupled with this futuristic fuel will one day make the zero emissions dream an everyday reality.

Optimization of the entire car/internal combustion engine package

Volkswagen has adopted BlueMotion as its seal to indicate the most fuel-efficient model in each particular vehicle class. The ambitious goal: Each new model should be more frugal and cleaner than its predecessor and better than the competition.

Alternative drive concepts

Volkswagen is developing gas and hybrid concepts through to full technical maturity, and is making them available to its customers in a dynamically growing model range. In natural gas powered vehicles, for example, Volkswagen is the market leader.

Electro-mobility

Volkswagen is investing heavily in its goal of zero-emission electrical mobility such as plug-in hybrids or pure electric drive. The four-seat space up! Blue compact zero-emission van is the first in a new series of small family cars powered by an arrangement of twelve on-board lithium ion batteries. When the 61 horsepower electric motor runs on battery power only, it has a range of about 62 miles — usually adequate for city travel. The car's high temperature fuel cell — which can convert about 7.5 pounds of hydrogen into power with absolutely zero emissions — and the roof-mounted solar panel gives the micro-van a range of about 220 miles.

Volkswagen Group of America also invests in the hydrogen fuel cell technology found in the Tiguan HyMotion. Read about Volkswagen's participation in the Hydrogen Road Tour across the United States.

These vehicles could be the forerunners for a future of sustainable mobility.