Looking back to the future. 15 years of certified environmental ...

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Integrated environmental protection – right from the start. The Technical Development department at Volkswagen has consistently pursued and implemented environmental protection since the early 1990s. On the next few pages we review some of the outstanding models that highlight the department’s milestone achievements. Volkswagen has a long tradition of environmental protection. The Beetle was already ahead of the times, with an average fuel consumption of only 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres, a revolutionary figure at the time for such a powerful, comfortable car. The Beetle owed its marked economy to its aerodynamic body, well-thought-out lightweight design and efficient engine. As such, in terms of efficiency the Beetle set the standard for all the models that were to follow it. The legitimate successor to the Beetle was the Golf, which made its debut in 1974. Thanks not least to its environmental properties and economy, the Golf became one of the most Photo: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft 18 Looking back to the future successful models ever, and has remained so to this day. When the third-generation Golf was launched in the early 1990s, environmental protection was fast becoming a top management priority at Volkswagen and central environmental management structures were introduced. Since then, one of the main functions of environmental management has been to ensure that the findings of environmental research are put into practice in the production sector. In what follows, a selection of the Technical Development department’s product design and environmental management milestones spotlight the specific measures that have helped reach that objective. A streamlined steel body, torsion bar suspension, a rear-mounted engine that was both robust and economical and rear-wheel drive were the key features of a model that was to prove revolutionary and timeless. Volkswagen’s Beetle saloon not only broke new ground in terms of lightweight design but was also an economical car with an average consumption of 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres. From 1938 to 2003, more than 21.5 million Beetles were sold worldwide. For many years, the Beetle was the world’s bestselling model.
At the end of its useful life, a car that has been built, driven, maintained and repaired in an environmentally compatible way must not be simply thrown away. Many valuable components and raw materials can be recovered. At Volkswagen, development work in the field of recycling has been pursued consistently, leading to the introduction of the VW SiCon process® in 2006. Dismantling plant Pollutant removal Fluids Neutralisation of pyrotechnical systems Airbags, belt tensioners Compulsory dismantling Battery, wheels, catalytic converters … Spare parts recovery In 1992, the Volkswagen brand appointed its first Environment Officer Product. Since then, the officer’s duties have been based on Section 23 of the Federal Environmental Protection Act (BlmSchG). Shortly afterwards, the Golf III was launched, a model that clearly demonstrated how environmental aspects can be given targeted, strategic consideration in a mass production context. While economical engines and optimum exhaust gas treatment were already standard practice at the time, the many plastic body parts were new: they not only made the car lighter but also significantly improved its economics compared with the previous Golf. The Golf III Ecomatic, which was launched in 1993, put the latest results of development work into practice in a production vehicle. It combined a 1.9-litre normally aspirated diesel engine developing 47 kW (64 HP) with a semi-automatic five-speed gearbox using a pneumatically operated clutch. The automatic start-stop system stopped the engine when appropriate to save fuel. The average fuel consumption was only 4.9 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. 1993 Shredder VW SiCon process ® Ferrous metals Steel Non-ferrous metals Light and copper alloys Shredder granulate Iron ore reduction in blast furnace Shredder fibres Drying of sewage sludge Shredder sand Construction material for mining Residual materials The paints selected for the new model also took environmental aspects into consideration. The water-based paints fea tured solvent levels three-quarters lower than those of conventional paints. Also, the use of solvent-free adhesives led to a considerable reduction in interior emissions, minimising unpleasant odours and fogging on windows. Looking back to the future 19
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