Audi uses resources efficiently

Audi takes very seriously its responsibility to sustainably use natural resources. In addition to the e-gas project, many additional environmental commitments address every aspect of the automotive value-added chain – and beyond.

Audi runs its own environmental foundation and has planted forests near its production facilities in order to jointly research with scientific partners the conversion of CO₂ in trees. Audi is furthermore an associated partner of the Desertec Industrial Initiative, an international consortium which wants to produce solar power in the deserts of northern Africa and the Middle East.

Audi closely considers each and every individual step taken within the company as part of the big picture. Even during the development of the vehicles, Audi engineers are keenly focused on the environment. This is true not only of the individual parts and their assembly, but also the efficiency of manufacturing processes, the supplying of energy to production facilities, water cycles in the plants and logistics workflows.

The photovoltaic systems which generate electricity atop many Audi production facilities conserve resources, as does the highly efficient trigeneration power plant (power-heat-refrigeration) at the Ingolstadt site. And the trains which transport vehicles to the North Sea shipping port in Emden, Germany run on green power.

Of the emissions caused by a motor vehicle during its life cycle, some 70 percent occur during its operation. Audi is therefore working to continuously increase fuel efficiency. Great potential remains regarding TDI and TFSI engines – both Audi innovations – as well as automatic transmissions and the modular efficiency platform.

The brand’s lightweight technologies – “ultra” in shorthand – similarly play a pivotal role in Audi’s good life cycle assessment. The fuel savings which lightweight materials create more than offset the additional energy required to produce them. In order to substantiate that and to document all environmental impacts, Audi compiles life cycle assessments for its vehicles.

In the long term, customers’ expectations will increasingly diverge – which is why Audi is diversifying its portfolio more and more. Today’s combustion engines will be joined by specially modified TCNG engines, and second-generation biofuels will reduce the CO₂ emissions of other engines, too. This year, Audi will begin selling hybrid vehicles such as the Q5 hybrid quattro. They will be followed soon thereafter by the e-tron models, which can cover longer distances in purely electric mode.

The equipment and data specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors excepted.