How responsibility applies in VW‘s core businesses
From the BlueMotion strategy to space up! Blue, VW‘s zero-emission van
Within our age of global mass motoring, individual mobility must comply with the needs of climate and biodiversity protection as well as resource conservation. For a car manufacturer, responsibility and sustainability alignment effectively and above all mean the willingness and ability to respond to these mega challenges with innovative mobility solutions. Europe‘s leading car manufacturer is modelling itself on sustainable mobility. Volkswagen not only seeks to be the technological leader in its industry, but also to translate environment- compliant technologies into affordable mobility concepts. Working in close correspondence with its stakeholders and in many and diverse alliances in the domains of politics, research and science, the company is committed to developing real progress along the road towards sustainable mobility.
Optimisation 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.
Second generation biofuels
Volkswagen committed itself earlier than all others to the development of synthetic biofuels (Sun- Fuel): fuels which have a high CO2-reduction potential, placing the emphasis much more so than others on ensuring that these fuels do not impact on the food chain.
Electro-mobility
Zero-emission electrical mobility – as plug-in hybrids or pure electric drive – this is Volkswagen‘s goal, for which it is investing heavily in research. Compact zero-emission van – the space up!Blue demonstrates that which is feasible today. This four-seater is the first in a new series of small family cars powered by an arrangement of twelve on-board lithiumion batteries. When the electric motor (44 kW/61 hp) runs on battery power only, it has a range of 100 kilometres – usually adequate for city travel. Switching on the high temperature fuel cell also installed in the car – the first of its kind (it can convert up to 3.3 kg of hydrogen into power with absolutely zero emissions) – together with a 150 Watt roof-mounted solar panel gives the micro-van a range of 350 kilometres: good for most journeys. Although packed to the brim with equipment, the car weighs only 1090 kilograms and has a speed of 120 km/h. space up!Blue really could be the forerunner for a future of sustainable mobility.
Looking for more? Have a look below.
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- Volkswagen of America, Inc. to be renamed Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
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