Sustainable Value Report 2001/2002 - BMW Group

Sustainable mobility must support quality of life and economic
prosperity. At the same time, the potential damage to the
environment associated with individual mobility must be kept
to a minimum.
Sustainability model
The BMW sustainable mobility model
As a globally active enterprise, the BMW Group
is oriented to a pioneering sustainability model.
One important aspect in the implementation
of this visionary approach is that all BMW
production sites adhere to uniform environmental
standards. All BMW Group manufacturing
facilities are either certified according to the
international DIN ISO 14001 standards for
environmental management systems, or in full
compliance with the European Eco-Management
and Audit Scheme (EMAS). On the product
side, the focus is on sustainable mobility.This
concept developed by the BMW Group integrates
environmental, economic, and social factors.
In this respect, it is necessary to link together
the relevant means of personal and public
transportation in order to take full advantage
of the strengths of each one. At the same
time, the BMW Group focuses on advancing
conventional technologies and developing
alternative drive concepts for motor vehicles.
This approach leads directly to carbon-free
energy sources.The CleanEnergy project
developed by the BMW Group concentrates on
the cleanest possible fuel: hydrogen derived
from renewable energy.
Intelligent networking of various means of transportation
– Obtain maximum benefit from each carrier
– Reduce transportation costs and the space required for vehicles
Continuous reduction of average fuel consumption
– Conserve natural resources
– Reduce vehicle exhaust emissions
Develop alternative drive concepts
– Long-term preservation of quality of life and economical use of
personal transportation
– Promote global implementation of hydrogen and the vision of using
hydrogen as a renewable energy source
Recyclable products and return/recycling of used vehicles
– Conserve natural resources
– Eliminate/reduce waste
Sustainability and the ultimate driving
machine
BMW remains faithful to the ultimate driving
machine philosophy.This is an integral aspect
of the sustainable mobility concept. An
environmentally compatible automobile must
comply with today’s standards of comfort,
performance, utilization, and safety while paying
close attention to consumer needs and
preferences.This is the key to market success.
Even when gas prices are relatively high, low
fuel consumption alone does not provide a
sufficient incentive to buy a new car.
The BMW Group follows two key objectives:
Reducing average fuel consumption and
developing competitive, sustainable products.
For BMW, the prospects do not lie in developing
vehicles that do not offer clear customer
benefits, for example a car that uses only 3 liters
per 100 km or a super-thrifty vehicle that travels
100 km on 1 liter of fuel. Electrically powered
vehicles based on fuel cell technology do not
offer a long-term alternative for BMW due to
the disadvantages in the technical concept.
The BMW Group has already designed a
series production car that combines environmental
compatibility with maximum comfort
and functionality.The BMW 750hL sedan runs
on hydrogen power, which means that the
car’s exhaust emissions primarily consist of
vaporized water.
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