Detailed Version - Volkswagen AG

The Golf 

Environmental Commendation – 

Detailed Version

Inhalt 

Introduction 3 

Summary 4 

1 The Golf – a defining character 5 

2 Life Cycle Assessments for ecological product evaluation and optimisation 7 

2.1. Life Cycle Inventory – LCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

2.2. Life Cycle Impact Assessment – LCIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

2.3. Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

2.4. Implementation at Volkswagen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

3 The Golf models assessed 12 

3.1. Aim and target group of the assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

3.2. Function and functional unit of the vehicle systems assessed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

3.3. Scope of assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

3.4. Environmental impact assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

3.5 Basis of data and data quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

4 Model assumptions and findings of the Life Cycle Assessment 19 

5 Results of the Life Cycle Assessment 21 

5.1. Material composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

5.2. Results of the Life Cycle Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

5.3. Comparison of Life Cycle Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

5.4. Diesel vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

5.4. Petrol vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

5.4. Differentiation of environmental impact caused by manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

6 Recycling end-of-life vehicles with the VW SiCon process 36 

7 We‘re driving mobility forward 40 

8 Conclusion 42 

9 Validation 43 

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

List of sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

List of figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

List of tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 

2

Introduction 

Introduction 

With 26 million units sold since 1974, the Volkswagen Golf is Europe‘s best-selling car. 

This success will be continued by the Golf VI thanks to high levels of safety, economy 

and innovations in driver comfort and environmental protection. As a high-volume 

carmaker, we are well aware of our responsibility for climate protection and the conservation 

of resources, and thus for sustainable mobility. For this reason, Volkswagen 

has set itself the target of making each new model better than its predecessor in all 

relevant areas. This applies especially to environmental properties. The sixth-generation 

Golf meets these requirements in an exemplary way. 

Volkswagen uses environmental commendations to document the environmental 

performance of its vehicles and technologies. Our first environmental commendations, 

for the Passat and the Golf V, were very well received both by the public and by the 

media. Our environmental commendations provide our customers, shareholders 

and other stakeholders inside and outside the company with detailed information 

about how we are making our products and production processes more environmentally 

compatible and what we have achieved in this respect. 

The environmental commendations are primarily based on the results of a Life Cycle 

Assessment (LCA) in accordance with ISO 14040/44, which has been verified by independent 

experts, in this case from TÜV NORD. As part of an integrated product policy, 

the LCA considers not only individual environmental aspects such as the driving 

emissions of a vehicle, but the entire product life cycle – from production and use, 

right through to disposal – in other words “from cradle to grave”. 

Here, too, Volkswagen has already established a tradition. We have been analysing 

our cars and their individual components since 1996, using Life Cycle Assessments to 

enhance their environmental compatibility. The environmental improvement of our 

best-selling model is an especially important step for us as we advance towards sustainable 

mobility. The environmental commendation for the Golf VI presents the 

comprehensive results of our Life Cycle Assessment and documents the continuous 

progress achieved by Volkswagen in the field of environmental product optimisation. 

3

Summary 

Summary 

For the Life Cycle Assessment of the Golf VI, we compared a petrol model with 

1.6-litre engine (75 kW) and 7-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox with a predecessor 

model (Golf V 1.6 MPI, 75 kW) with manual gearbox. For the diesel models, a 

2.0-litre TDI developing 81 kW was compared with a similar predecessor model 

(Golf V 1.9 TDI, 77 kW). Both of the diesel models feature a diesel particulate filter 

(DPF) as standard equipment. The evaluation of the environmental profile is not 

solely based on emissions during a vehicle’s service life, but on the entire life 

cycle from production to disposal. As in the case of the Golf V, the latest models 

show improvements in all the environmental impact categories. The greatest 

advances have been made in the areas of global warming potential (greenhouse 

effect), acidification and photochemical ozone (summer smog) creation potential. 

In other respects, such as water and soil eutrophication and ozone depletion, 

the cars assessed have in any case very little impact. It emerged that these 

improvements were primarily due to reduced fuel consumption and the resultant 

drop in driving emissions and reduction in environmental impact at the fuel 

production stage. The reduction in fuel consumption, in turn, is the direct result 

of an extensive package of measures 

related to the engines (especially the 

turbocharged and mechanically 

supercharged direct injection petrol 

engines) and transmissions, as well as 

improvements in the areas of lightweight 

design, aerodynamic drag and 

rolling resistance and the energy consumption 

of electrical components. 

4 

A Life Cycle Assessment includes 

fuel production and vehicle 

production, the vehicle’s service 

life and recycling/disposal.

1 The Golf – a defining character 

The Golf – a defining character 

Over more than 30 years, Volkswagen has systematically perfected the Golf. From model 

to model, it has retained the good features of its predecessors at the same time as re- 

ceiving many improvements. A Golf always embodies the highest degree of innovation 

and quality, as well as safety and economy. In other words, the Golf is a symbol of the 

key values of Volkswagen. 

These values are crucial, but Volkswagen thinks even further: our goal is that every new 

vehicle, in addition to all its technical advantages that make a driver‘s life easier and 

safer, should have better environmental properties than its predecessor, viewed over 

the entire vehicle life cycle. The Technical Development department of the Volkswagen 

brand has set itself environmental targets in the areas of healthcare, climate protection 

and resource conservation so that Volkswagen can shoulder its responsibilities towards 

customers, society and the environment. 

As raw materials are scarce and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are growing, 

There are two main factors that can contribute to reduced fuel consumption 

and carbon dioxide emissions – lighter weight and economical engines. 

However, Golf engines are already highly efficient and the effort required to reduce their 

fuel consumption, for example from 5 to 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres, is considerable – 

and becomes more so as fuel consumption decreases. Nevertheless, we have succeeded 

in making the engines available for the new Golf even more economical. We have 

achieved this mainly by using forced-induction engines, equipped with turbochargers 

and/or mechanical superchargers. Despite their small capacity, they develop a power 

output that could only have been reached by much larger engines just a few years ago. 

5

1 The Golf – a defining character 

As engines with lower displacement require less material, take up less space and also 

feature lower friction losses, they are lighter and call for less energy to produce the 

same power output. In short, these engines use fuel considerably more efficiently 

than normally aspirated engines with the same power output. 

Volkswagen‘s powerful but economical TDI diesel engines have been impressing the 

automobile world since the 1990s. Among other things, their record-breaking fuel 

economy is due to direct fuel injection. In combination with supercharging, this 

technology also makes modern petrol engines, such as Volkswagen‘s TSI units, very 

frugal. Thanks to supercharging and direct injection, TSI engines can develop more 

torque, especially at low engine speeds. The result is more comfortable driving and 

low fuel consumption at the same time as greater driving pleasure. 

In 2008, TSI technology received the Engine of the Year Award for the third year in 

succession. However, TDI and TSI power plants can only achieve their full savings 

potential in combination with the DSG ® dual-clutch gearbox developed by Volkswagen. 

This gearbox is not only more convenient to use; it also improves both performance 

and fuel economy. The new manual gearboxes also feature optimised 

transmission ratios that help reduce fuel consumption. 

All the engines offered for the Golf have emissions below the limits set by the Euro-5 

emissions standard (see Table 3, p. 16). Factors which help achieve these low emissions 

include a new generation of engine electronics and a modified coating for the main 

catalytic converter. 

There have also been significant improvements in acoustics and aerodynamics. The 

Golf has become perceptibly quieter. Engine, wind and rolling noise have all been 

reduced significantly by a variety of developments. For example, heavy acoustic 

insulation material has been consistently reduced where possible and replaced by 

lighter material. The engine and passenger compartments are now isolated from each 

other more effectively. Quieter tires and new engine mounts to decouple the engine 

from the body help reduce noise levels, as does the new common rail injection system 

that replaces the pump-injector system on the TDI. A special sound insulation film in 

the windscreen and newly developed seals for doors and side windows round off the 

noise reduction package. In addition, the wing mirrors have been redesigned to create 

less wind noise. They also contribute to improved aerodynamics: the product of the 

drag coefficient (Cd) and the cross sectional area (A) is only 0.69, lower than for any 

other Golf previously produced. 

6

2 Life Cycle Assessments for ecological product evaluation and optimisation 

Life Cycle Assessments for ecological product 

evaluation and optimisation 

The environmental goals of the Technical Development department of the Volkswagen 

brand state that we develop our vehicles in such a way that, in their entirety, they present 

better environmental properties than their predecessors. By „in their entirety“, we 

mean that the entire product life cycle is considered, from cradle to grave. 

Fig 1: Environmental goals of the Technical Development department of the Volkswagen brand 

7


This environmental commendation considers the significance of all these technical 

developments for the environmental profile of the new Golf VI. The decisive factor for 

the environmental profile of a product is its impact on the environment during its 

entire „lifetime“. This means we do not focus solely on a car’s service life but also on 

the phases before and after, i.e. we draw up a balance sheet that includes the manufacturing, 

disposal and recycling processes. All life cycle phases require energy and 

resources, cause emissions and generate waste. Different vehicles and technologies 

can only be effectively compared on the basis of a balance sheet that covers all these 

individual processes from „cradle to grave“. And this is precisely what Life Cycle 

Assessments or LCAs facilitate. Our Life Cycle Assessments accurately and quantifiably 

describe the environmental impacts related to a product, for instance a car, and 

thus allow a more precise description of its environmental profile on the basis of comparable 

data. To ensure that the results of the Life Cycle Assessments meet exacting 

quality and comparability requirements, they are based on the standard series ISO 

14040 [14040 2006]. This specifically includes the verification of the results by an independent 

expert. In this case, a critical review was conducted by the TÜV NORD 

technical inspection agency. 

The first stage in preparing a Life Cycle Assessment is to draw up a precise definition 

of its objectives and the target groups it is intended to address. This definition clearly 

describes the systems to be evaluated in terms of the system function, the system limits 1 

and the functional unit 2 . The methods of environmental impact assessment, the en- 

vironmental impact categories considered, the evaluation methods and, if necessary, 

the allocation procedures3 are defined in accordance with ISO 14040. The individual 

steps involved in preparing a Life Cycle Assessment are described briefly below. 

Life Cycle Inventory – LCI 

In the Life Cycle Inventory, data is collected for all processes within the scope of the 

evaluation. Information on inputs such as raw materials and sources of energy and 

outputs, such as emissions and waste, is compiled for each process, always with reference 

to the defined scope of the evaluation (see Fig 2). 

Energy 

& 

Resources 

Manufacturing 

Recycling 

Fig 2: Input and output flows for a Life Cycle Inventory 

Production 

Utilisation 

Emissions 

& 

Waste 

1 By defining the system limits, the scope of the Life Cycle Assessment is restricted to those processes and material 

flows that need to be evaluated in order to achieve the defined goal of the study. 

2 The functional unit quantifies the benefit of the vehicle systems evaluated and further ensures their comparability. 

3 Where processes have several inputs and outputs, an allocation procedure is needed to assign flows arising from 

the product system under evaluation to the various inputs and outputs. 

8


The Life Cycle Inventory of an entire product life cycle includes numerous different 

inputs and outputs that are ultimately added up to prepare the inventory. 

Life Cycle Impact Assessment – LCIA 

A Life Cycle Inventory only quantifies the inputs and outputs of the system investiga- 

ted. The following step – impact assessment – allocates the appropriate environmental 

impacts to the respective material flows, allowing conclusions to be drawn concerning 

potential environmental impacts. This involves defining an indicator substance for 

each environmental impact category, for instance carbon dioxide (CO2) for the impact 

category „global warming potential“. Then all substances that also contribute to the 

global warming potential are converted to CO2 equivalents4 using equivalence factors. 

Product Life Cycle 

Manufactoring 

fuel and materials 

CO2 CH4 NOX ... 

Fig. 3: Procedure for impact assessment 

Production Utilisation Recycling 

CO2 VOC ... CO2 VOC NOX ... CO2 SO2 NOX ... 

Life Cycle Inventory 

NCH4 NVOC NCO2 NNOX N... 

Impact Assessment 

Global warming potential Photochemical ozone Acidification Eutrophication ... 

Standardisation 

of environmental impacts with average impact per inhabitant: 

How many inhabitants cause the same environmental impact as the product evaluated? 

Examples of environmental categories are global warming potential, photochemical 

ozone creation potential, acidification potential or eutrophication potential. 

Evaluation 

The subsequent final evaluation interprets and evaluates the results of the Life Cycle 

Inventory and the Life Cycle Impact Assessment. The evaluation is based on the defined 

goal and scope of the Life Cycle Assessment. 

4 Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the indicator substance for global warming potential. All substances that contribute to 

the greenhouse effect are converted into CO2 equivalents through an equivalence factor. For instance, the global 

warming potential of methane (CH4) is 23 times 

9


Implementation at Volkswagen 

Volkswagen has many years of experience with Life Cycle Assessments for product and 

process optimisation. We have even assumed a leading role in implementing and publishing 

complete life cycle inventories of vehicles. For instance, in 1996 we were the 

first car manufacturer to prepare a Life Cycle Inventory study (for the Golf III) and 

publish it [Schweimer and Schuckert 1996]. Since then we have drawn up Life Cycle 

Assessments for other cars and also published some of the results [Schweimer 1998; 

Schweimer et al. 1999; Schweimer and Levin 2000; Schweimer and Roßberg 2001]. 

These LCAs primarily describe and identify environmental „hot spots“ in the life cycle 

of a car. Since then we have broadened the assessments to include production processes 

as well as fuel production and recycling processes [Bossdorf-Zimmer et al. 2005; 

Krinke et al. 2005b]. Since 2007, we have used environmental commendations to inform 

customers about the environmental properties of our vehicles [Volkswagen AG 

2007a, Volkswagen AG 2007b]. 

Volkswagen is also making long-term investments in further developing and optimising 

Life Cycle Assessment methods. Thanks to our intensive research we have succeeded in 

considerably reducing the workload involved in preparing life cycle inventories. 

Our research resulted in the development of the VW slimLCI interface system [Koffler et 

al. 2007]: this interface not only significantly cuts the workload involved in preparing 

Life Cycle Assessments of complete vehicles by automating the process but also further 

improves the consistency and quality of the LCA models produced. 

This represents substantial progress, since preparing a complete LCA for a vehicle 

involves registering thousands of components, together with any related upstream 

supply chains and processes (see Fig. 4). 

Fig. 4: Dismantling study of the Golf V 

10


The fact that all the parts and components of a vehicle themselves consist of a variety 

of materials and are manufactured by many different processes – processes that in turn 

consume energy, consumables and fabricated materials – demonstrates the complexity 

of the modelling process. In addition, the correct assignment of manufacturing processes 

to materials calls for considerable expert knowledge, a large database and 

detailed information on production and processing steps. The VW slimLCI interface 

system allows these details to be modelled very precisely and sufficiently completely 

in Life Cycle Assessment models – even for entire vehicles. A Life Cycle Assessment or 

product model is based on the vehicle parts lists drawn up by the Technical Development 

department, as well as on material data drawn from the Volkswagen AG Material 

Information System (MISS). The VW slimLCI interface system primarily consists of two 

interfaces that transfer the vehicle data from these systems to the Life Cycle Assessment 

software GaBi5 , using a defined operating sequence (algorithm). (see Fig. 5). 

slimLCI 

MISS 

Material Data Interface 1 Transfer file Interface 2 Product model 

Database 

Predefinied process 

Product 

parts list 

Manual 

consolidation 

Electronic data 

Manual process 

GaBi 

software 

Fig. 5: Process of modelling an entire vehicle with the VW slimLCI interface system 

Interface 1 helps assign information from parts lists (part designations and quantities) to 

the relevant component information (materials and weights) from MISS6 and converts it 

into a transfer file which is then quality-tested (manual consolidation). Interface 2 then 

allows the transfer file to be linked with the related data records in the GaBi Life Cycle 

Assessment software. For example, to each material, such as sheet metal, the interface 

allocates all the material production, moulding and subsequent treatment processes 

listed in the database. The model generated by GaBi therefore reflects all the processing 

stages in the manufacture of the entire vehicle being evaluated. So with the VW slimLCI 

interface system we can prepare Life Cycle Assessments in a very short time and use 

them continuously in order to keep pace with the steadily growing demand for environment-related 

product information. 

5 GaBi ® is a Life Cycle Assessment software package from PE international. 

6 MISS is a VW internal computer tool used to determine the material composition of a component. 

11

3 The Golf models assessed 

The Golf models assessed 

Volkswagen‘s environmental commendation for the Golf describes and analyses the 

environmental impacts of selected Golf models. We have compared diesel and petrolengined 

models from the current model range (Golf VI) with their predecessors (Golf V). 

The results are based on Life Cycle Assessments drawn up in accordance with the 

standards DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044. All the definitions and descriptions required for 

preparing these Life Cycle Assessments were drawn up in accordance with the standards 

mentioned above and are explained below. 

Aim and target group of the assessment 

Volkswagen has been producing Life Cycle Assessments for over ten years to provide 

detailed information on the environmental impacts of vehicles and components for 

our customers, shareholders 

and other 

interested parties 

within and outside 

the company. The 

aim of this Life Cycle 

Assessment is to describe 

the environmental 

profiles of the 

current Golf models 

with diesel and petrol 

engines and compare 

them with their predecessors. 

We compared 

the Golf V 1.9 

TDI7 with its successor, 

the Golf VI 2.0 TDI8 . 

Both these diesel models are equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The 

petrol-engined Golf V 1.6 MPI9 was compared with its successor, the Golf VI 1.6 MPI10 with seven-speed DSG ® dual-clutch gearbox11 . 

Function and functional unit of the vehicle systems assessed 

The “functional unit” for the assessment was defined as the transportation of passengers 

in a five-seater vehicle over a total distance of 150,000 kilometres in the New European 

Driving Cycle (NEDC) with comparable utilisation characteristics (such as performance 

and loading volume – see technical data in Table 1). 

7 5.1 l/100km (NEDC) 135g CO2/km 

8 4.5 l/100km (NEDC) 119g CO2/km 

9 7.4 l/100km (NEDC) 176g CO2/km 

10 6.7 l/100km (NEDC) 157g CO2/km 

11 In each case, the engine/transmission combination with the lowest fuel consumption was selected for the comparison. This was 

normally a model with manual gearbox. However, in the case of the Golf VI MPI, the model with 7-speed DSG gearbox has the 

lowest consumption. The greater comfort and convenience of the DSG gearbox was not taken into account in the assessment. 

12

Engine capacity [cm 3 ] 


Output [kW] 

Gearbox 

Fuel 

Emission standard 

Maximum speed [km/h] 

Acceleration 0-100 km/h [s] 

Max torque [Nm] 

DIN unladen weight [kg] 

Loading volume [l] 

Range [km] 

Acoustics [db(A)] 

(standing/driving noise) 

Golf V 

1.9 TDI DPF 

1896 

77 

5-speed manual 

Diesel 

Euro 4 

187 

11.3 

250 / 1900 

1251 

350 / 1305 

1078 

78 / 71 

Scope of assessment 

Golf V 

1.6 MPI 

The scope of the assessment was defined in such a way that all relevant processes and 

substances are considered, traced back to the furthest possible extent and modelled at 

the level of elementary flows in accordance with ISO 14040. This means that only substances 

and energy flows taken directly from the environment or released into the environment 

without prior or subsequent treatment exceed the scope of the assessment. 

The only exceptions to this rule are the material fractions formed in the recycling stage. 

The vehicle manufacturing phase was modelled including all manufacturing and 

processing stages for all vehicle parts and components. The model included all steps 

from the extraction of raw materials and the manufacture of semifinished products 

right through to assembly. 

As regards the vehicle’s service life, the model includes all relevant processes from 

fuel production and delivery through to actual driving. The analysis of the fuel supply 

process includes shipment from the oilfield to the refinery, the refining process and 

transportation from the refinery to the filling station. Vehicle maintenance is not included 

in the assessment as previous studies demonstrated that maintenance does 

not cause any significant environmental impacts [Schweimer and Levin, 2000]. 

13 

Table 1: Technical data of vehicles assessed 

Golf VI 

2.0 TDI DPF 

1968 

81 


Diesel 

Euro 5 

194 

10.7 

250 / 1750 

1266 

350 / 1305 

1222 

75 / 71 

1595 

75 


petrol (Super) 

Euro 4 

184 

11.4 

148 / 3800 

1173 

350 / 1305 

743 

81 / 72 

Golf VI 

1.6 MPI with DSG ® 

1595 

75 

7-speed DSG 

petrol (Super) 

Euro 5 

188 

11.3 

148 / 3800 

1190 

350 / 1305 

820 

78 / 70


The recycling phase has been modelled in accordance with the VW SiCon process. 

In contrast to conventional recycling approaches, this process allows non-metallic 

shredder residue to also be recycled and used as a substitute for primary raw materials. 

Using the SiCon process, approximately 95 percent of a car by weight can be recycled. 

A more detailed description of the VW SiCon process is provided in Chapter 6. 

In this Life Cycle Assessment, no environmental credits were awarded for the secondary 

raw material obtained from the recycling process. We only included the environmental 

impacts of the recycling processes required. This corresponds to a worst case assumption12 

, since in reality secondary raw material from vehicle recycling is generally returned 

to the production cycle. This recycling and substitution of primary raw materials avoids 

the environmental impact of primary raw material production. 

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram indicating the scope of the Life Cycle Assessment. Europe 

(EU 15) was chosen as the reference area for all processes in the manufacture, service 

and recycling phases. 


Production of raw material 

Production of materials 

Production of components 

Fig. 6: Scope of the Life Cycle Assessment 

Production pipeline 

Transport refining 

Transport filling station 

Fuel supply 

Manufacturing Maintenance Recycling 

Service life 

Recovery of energy 

and raw materials 

Credits 

12 Here the worst case is a set of most unfavourable model parameters of the recycling phase. 

14


Environmental impact assessment 

The impact assessment is based on a method developed by the University of Leiden 

in the Netherlands (CML methodology) [Guinée and Lindeijer 2002]. The assessment 

of environmental impact potentials in accordance with this method is based on recognised 

scientific models. A total of five environmental impact categories13 were 

identified as relevant and were then assessed in this study: 

• eutrophication potential 

• ozone depletion potential 

• photochemical ozone creation potential 

• global warming potential for a reference period of 100 years 

• acidification potential 

The above environmental impact categories were chosen because they are particularly 

important for the automotive sector, and are also regularly used in other automotiverelated 

Life Cycle Assessments [Schmidt et al. 2004; Krinke et al. 2005a]. The environmental 

impacts determined in the Life Cycle Assessments are measured in different 

units. For instance, the global warming potential is measured in CO2 equivalents and 

the acidification potential in SO2 equivalents (each in kilograms). In order to make them 

comparable, a standardisation process is necessary. In this Life Cycle Assessment the 

results were standardised with reference to the average environmental impact caused 

by an inhabitant of the EU15 each year. For example, in the global warming category, 

each inhabitant of the European Union caused the emission of about 12.6 metric tons of 

CO2 equivalents in the year 2001 (see Table 2). 

Table 2: Average impact per inhabitant figures in the EU 15 

referred to an inhabitant in 2001 [PE International 2003] 

Environmental category 

Eutrophication potential 

Ozone depletion potential 

Photochemical ozone creation potential 

Global warming potential 

Acidification potential 

Per capita 

33.22 

0.22 

21.95 

12,591.88 

72.85 

This “normalisation” allows statements to be made regarding the contribution of a 

product to total environmental impacts within the European Union. The results can 

then be presented on a graph using the same scale. This approach also makes the 

results more comprehensible and allows environmental impacts to be compared. 

In Table 2, we have listed the average figures per inhabitant for the individual impact 

categories. In this context it must be pointed out that the normalisation does not give 

13 The glossary contains a detailed description of these environmental impact categories. 

15 

Unit 

kg PO4 equivalents 

kg R11 equivalents 

kg ethene equivalents 

kg CO2 equivalents 

kg SO2 equivalents


any indication of the relevance of a particular environmental impact, i.e. it does not 

imply any judgement on the significance of individual environmental impacts. 

Basis of data and data quality 

The data used for preparing the Life Cycle Assessment can be subdivided into product 

data and process data. “Product data” describes the product itself, and among other 

things includes: 

• Information on parts, quantities, weights and materials 

• Information on fuel consumption and emissions during utilisation 

• Information on recycling volumes and processes. 

“Process data” includes information on manufacturing and processing steps such as the 

provision of electricity, the production of materials and semifinished goods, fabrication 

and the production of fuel and consumables. This information is either obtained from 

commercial databases or compiled by Volkswagen as required. 

We ensure that the data selected are as representative as possible. This means that the 

data represent the materials, production and other processes as accurately as possible 

from a technological, temporal and geographical point of view. For the most part, 

published industrial data are used. In addition, we use data that are as up-to-date as 

possible and relate to Europe. Where European data are not available, German data are 

used. For the various vehicles we always use the same data on upstream supply chains 

for energy sources and materials. This means that differences between the latest models 

and their predecessors are entirely due to changes in component weights, material 

compositions, manufacturing processes at Volkswagen and driving emissions, and not 

to changes in the raw material, energy and component supply chains. 

The Life Cycle Assessment model for vehicle production was developed using Volkswagen‘s 

slimLCI methodology (see Chapter 1). Vehicle parts lists were used as data 

sources for product data, and the weight and materials of each product were taken 

from the Volkswagen material information system (MISS). This information was then 

linked to the corresponding process data in the Life Cycle Assessment software GaBi. 

Material inputs, processing procedures and the selection of data in GaBi are stand- 

ardised to the greatest possible extent, ensuring that the information provided by 

VW slimLCI is consistent and transparent. 

16


Fig. 7: Excerpt from the model structure of the Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG ® 

VW slimLCI methodology not only ensures highly detailed modelling but also high 

quality standards for LCA models. Fig. 7 shows an excerpt from the “parts-tree” of the 

Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG, as extracted from the original parts list for the LCA model. 

For the modelling of the vehicle’s service life, representative data for upstream fuel 

supply chains were taken from the GaBi database. It was assumed that fuel used in 

Europe was transported over a distance of 200 kilometres on average. For the regulated 

emissions CO, NOX and HC, direct driving emissions were modelled in accordance with 

the Euro 4 (Golf V) and Euro 5 (Golf VI) emission standards. 

Table 3: Emission limits in accordance with Euro 4 and Euro 5 

Carbon monoxide emissions (CO) 

Nitrogen oxide emissions (NOX) 

Hydrocarbon emissions (HC) 

of which NMHC 

NOX+HC emissions 

Particulate emissions 

Petrol 

[g/km] 

1.00 

0.08 

0.10 

Diesel 

[g/km] 

This model too represents a worst case assumption, since actual emissions are in some 

cases far below the applicable limits (see Table 4). This means that the regulated servicelife 

emissions indicated in the graphs are higher than those that actually occur. 

17 

Euro 4 emission limits Euro 5 emission limits 

0.50 

0.25 

0.30 

0.025 

Petrol 

[g/km] 

1.00 

0.06 

0.10 

0.068 

0.005* 

Diesel 

[g/km] 

0.50 

0.18 

0.23 

0.005 

* with direct injection

Kraftstoff 

Fuel consumption [l/100km]* 

(urban/ highway/combined) 

Emission standard 

Carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) 

[g/km] 

Carbon monoxide emissions (CO) 

[g/km] 

Nitrogen oxide emissions (NOX) 

[g/km] 

Hydrocarbon emissions (HC) 

[g/km] 

of which NMHC [g/km] 

NOX + HC emissions [g/km] 

Particulate emissions [g/km] 


Table 4: Fuel consumption and emissions of vehicles assessed 

Golf V 

1.9 TDI DPF 

Diesel 

( 6.3 / 4.5 / 5.1 ) 

Euro 4 

135 

0.034 

0.179 

0.191 

0.002 

Golf V 

1.6 MPI 

Petrol (Super) 

( 9.9 / 6.1 / 7.4 ) 

Euro 4 

The fuel consumption of the vehicles was calculated in each case from the measured 

CO2 emissions and is shown in Table 4. All consumption figures and emissions were 

determined on the basis of EU Directives 80/268/EEC and 70/220/EEC [EU 2001; EU 

2004] and regulation 692/2008 [EU 2008] for type approval and correspond with the 

values presented to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrtbundesamt) 

for type approval. A sulphur content of 10 ppm was assumed for petrol. 14 

Vehicle recycling was modelled on the basis of data from the VW SiCon process and 

using representative data from the GaBi database. 

In sum, all information relevant to the aims of this study was collected and modelled 

with a sufficient degree of completeness. 15 The modelling of vehicle systems on the 

basis of vehicle parts lists ensures that the model is complete, especially with respect 

to the manufacturing phase. In addition, as the work processes required are automated 

to a great extent, any differences in the results are due solely to changes in product 

data and not to deviations in the modelling system. 

14 In some countries, fuel with a sulphur content of 10 ppm is not yet available. However, even if the sulphur content 

were higher, the contribution of sulphur emissions during the vehicle’s service life would still remain negligible. 

15 Completeness, as defined by ISO 14040, must always be considered with reference to the objective of the 

investigation. In this case, completeness means that the main materials and processes have been reflected. Any 

remaining gaps in the data are unavoidable and apply equally to all the vehicles compared. 

18 

Golf VI 

2.0 TDI DPF 

Diesel 

( 6.0 / 3.7 / 4.5 ) 

Euro 5 

119 

0.391 

0.116 

0.186 

0.0007 

176 

0.759 

0.04 

0.07 

Golf VI 


Petrol (Super) 

( 8.8 / 5.5 / 6.7 ) 

Euro 5 

157 

0.351 

0.029 

0.035 

0.025 

* Total average consumption (NEDC)

4 Model assumptions and findings of the Life Cycle Assessment 

Model assumptions and findings of the Life 

Cycle Assessment 

All the framework conditions and assumptions defined for the Life Cycle Assessment 

are outlined below. 

Table 5: Assumptions and definitions for the Life Cycle Assessment 

Aim of the Life Cycle Assessment 

• Comparison of the environmental profiles of predecessor and successor versions 

of selected Golf models with petrol and diesel engines 


19 

Function of systems 

• Transport of passengers in a five-seater car 

Functional unit 

• Transport of passengers in a five-seater car over a total distance of 150,000 

kilometres in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), with comparable 

utilisation characteristics (e.g. performance, loading volume) 

Comparability 

• Comparable performance figures 

• Cars with standard equipment and fittings 

System limits 

• The system limits include the entire life cycle of the cars (manufacture, service 

life and recycling phase). 

Cut-off criteria 

• The assessment does not include maintenance or repairs 

• No environmental impact credits are awarded for secondary raw materials 

produced 

• Cut-off criteria applied in GaBi data records, as described in the software 

documentation (www.gabi-software.com) 

• Explicit cut-off criteria, such as weight or relevance limits, are not applied 

Allocation 

• Allocations used in GaBi data records, as described in the software documentation 

(www.gabi-software.com) 

• No further allocations are used

4 Model assumptions and findings of the Life Cycle Assessment 

Data basis 

• Volkswagen vehicle parts lists 

• Material and weight information from the Volkswagen Material Information 

System (MISS) 

• Technical data sheets 

• Technical drawings 

• Emission limits (for regulated emissions) laid down in current EU legislation 

• The data used comes from the GaBi database or was collected in cooperation 

with VW plants, suppliers or industrial partners 

Life Cycle Inventory results 

• Material compositions in accordance with VDA (German Association of the 

Automotive Industry) Standard 231-106 

• Life Cycle Inventory results include emissions of CO2, CO, SO2, NOX, NMVOC, 

CH4, as well as consumption of energy resources 

• The impact assessment includes the environmental impact categories eutrophication 

potential, ozone depletion potential, photochemical ozone creation 

potential, global warming potential for a reference period of 100 years and 

acidification potential 

• Standardisation of the results to average impact per inhabitant values 

Software 

• Life Cycle Assessment software GaBi, and GaBi DfX Tool and VW slimLCI 

interface as support tools 

Evaluation 

20 

• Evaluation of Life Cycle Inventory and impact assessment results, subdivided 

into life cycle phases and individual processes 

• Comparisons of impact assessment results of the vehicles compared 

• Interpretation of results

5 Results of the Life Cycle Assessment 

Results of the Life Cycle Assessment 

Material composition 

Fig. 8 shows the material composition of a Golf VI 2.0 TDI in accordance with the VDA 

(German Association of the Automotive Industry) standard 231-106 for material classification 

[VDA 1997]. 16 The graph indicates the material composition of and material 

shares in the vehicle assessed. 

Fig. 8: Material composition of Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF 

Material composition 

Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF* 

65 % 

The Golf VI 2.0 TDI consists of 65 percent steel and iron materials and 17 percent various 

plastics (polymer materials). It also contains about six percent light alloys, such as 

aluminium and magnesium. Nonferrous metals, such as copper and brass, account for 

about three percent of the car‘s materials. The composite and other materials, which 

account for approximately three percent of the vehicle by weight, include ceramics and 

glass, renewable raw materials and materials which are inseparably joined, e.g. metal 

coated with plastic. Operating fluids, such as oils, fuel, brake fluid, coolant and washing 

water combined, account for about five percent of the total vehicle weight. The remaining 

approximately one percent is made up of process polymers such as paints 

and adhesives. The share of electronics and electrics is extremely low because the 

materials used in these components have been itemised in detail on the basis of the 

16 Unladen weight in accordance with DIN 70020 without driver and with the fuel tank filled to 90% of capacity. 

21 

Steel and iron materials 

Light alloys, cast and 

wrought alloys 

Nonferrous heavy metals, 

cast and wrought alloys 

Special metals 

Polymer materials 

Process polymers 

Other materials and 

composite materials 

Electronics and electrics 

Fuels and auxiliary 

materials 

6 % 

3 % 

0.05 % 

1 % 

3 % 

0.01 % 

5 % 

17 % 

* Diesel particulate filter

DIN unladen weight [kg] 

Steel and iron materials 


MISS data and can be allocated to other VDA categories. As shown in Table 6 there are 

only very slight differences between the material compositions of the vehicles assessed. 

Table 6: Material composition 

Light alloys, cast and 


Nonferrous metals, cast and 


Special metals 

Polymer materials 

Process polymers 

Other materials and 

composite materials 

Electronics and electrics 

Fuels and auxiliary materials 

Golf V 

1.9 TDI DPF 

1251 

64.32 % 

6.38 % 

2.43 % 

0.02 % 

17.85 % 

1.25 % 

2.77 % 

0.01 % 

4.96 % 

Golf V 

1.6 MPI 

So the material composition of the latest models has remained almost the same as in 

their predecessors. 

Results of the Life Cycle Inventory 

The information on the life cycle inventories is divided into the three life cycle phases: 

manufacturing, service life and recycling. The manufacturing phase is subdivided into 

vehicle and engine/transmission manufacturing, while the service life differentiates 

between the environmental impact caused by the upstream fuel supply chain and direct 

driving emissions. The contribution shown for recycling only indicates the impacts of 

recycling processes but does not include any environmental impact credits for secondary 

raw materials produced. 

Fig. 9 clearly shows that the emissions of the Golf V 1.9 TDI, such as carbon dioxide 

(CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOX), are mainly generated during 

the service life of the car. 

22 

Golf VI 

2.0 TDI DPF 

1266 

64.54 % 

6.47 % 

2.52 % 

0.05 % 

17.27 % 

1.34 % 

3.00 % 

0.01 % 

4.80 % 

1173 

62.45 % 

7.50 % 

2.31 % 

0.03 % 

18.69 % 

1.27 % 

2.66 % 

0.02 % 

5.08 % 

Golf VI 


1190 

63.52 % 

7.15 % 

2.21 % 

0.09 % 

17.87 % 

1.38 % 

2.95 % 

0.01 % 

4.82 %


100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 

Life Cycle Inventories 

Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF* 

[27.6 t] [116.8 kg] [28.1 kg] [54.0 kg] [17.7 kg] [31.9 kg] [409.2 GJ] 

Carbon 

dioxide 

(CO 2 ) 

Vehicle manufacture 

Fuel supply 

Driving emissions 

Recycling 

Carbon 

monoxide 

(CO) 

Sulphur 

dioxide 

(SO 2 ) 

Fig. 9: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF 

Nitrogen 

oxides 

(NO X ) 

Hydro 

carbons 

(NMVOC) 

Methane 

(CH 4 ) 

Primary 

energy 

demand 

* Diesel particulate filter 

In contrast, both methane emissions and primary energy demand are dominated by 

the fuel supply phase – from the wellhead to the filling station. As a result of the low 

sulphur content assumed for the fuels used, the manufacturing phase accounts for the 

greater part of overall sulphur dioxide emissions. CO2 emissions over the entire life 

cycle of the Golf V 1.9 TDI reach approximately 27.6 metric tons. The total energy 

demand amounts to about 409 GJ. 

23


100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 


Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF* 


Carbon 

dioxide 

(CO 2 ) 


Fuel supply 


Recycling 

Carbon 

monoxide 

(CO) 

Sulphur 

dioxide 

(SO 2 ) 

Fig. 10: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF 

Nitrogen 

oxides 

(NO X ) 

Hydro 

carbons 

(NMVOC) 

Methane 

(CH 4 ) 

Primary 

energy 

demand 


The life cycle inventories for the Golf VI 2.0 TDI and the Golf V 1.9 TDI show that there 

is no significant difference between the two models as regards the shares of the life 

cycle phases (engine and transmission manufacture, vehicle manufacture, fuel supply, 

driving emissions and recycling) in the overall figures (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10). However, 

the absolute figures indicate the savings achieved by the latest model compared with 

its predecessor. For example, the CO2 emissions of the Golf VI are only 24.7 instead of 

27.6 metric tons and the total energy demand for the Golf VI has fallen from 409 to 

approximately 365 GJ. Only the CO value has risen slightly, due to an increase in CO 

emissions in vehicle manufacture. However, the share of these CO emissions in the 

overall figure is negligible, at well below one percent. 

24


The next two graphs, Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, show the results of the life cycle inventories for 

the petrol-engined cars. The figures clearly indicate that the share of the manufacturing 

phase in overall emissions is lower than in the case of the diesel models. There are two 

main reasons for this: firstly, the environmental impact of manufacturing petrol-engined 

cars is slightly lower than for diesel cars; secondly, the service life of a petrol-engined 

vehicle accounts for a greater share of life cycle emissions as a result of its higher fuel 

consumption. 

The Golf V 1.6 MPI causes 36.4 metric tons of CO2 emissions and has a total energy de- 

mand of 510.4 GJ (see Fig. 11). 

Carbon 

dioxide 

(CO 2 ) 


Fuel supply 


Recycling 

Carbon 

monoxide 

(CO) 

Sulphur 

dioxide 

(SO 2 ) 

Fig. 11: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf V 1.6 MPI 

25 

100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 


Golf V 1.6 MPI 


Nitrogen 

oxides 

(NO X ) 

Hydro 

carbons 

(NMVOC) 

Methane 

(CH 4 ) 

Primary 

energy 

demand


The successor model Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG causes 3.3 metric tons less CO2 emissions 

and also has a significantly lower energy demand (see Fig. 12). This is a direct result of 

the reduction in fuel consumption compared with the predecessor model. Owing to the 

considerable share of service-life emissions in the overall life cycle figures, the significantly 

lower fuel consumption also leads to improvements in all the other Life Cycle 

Inventory figures. 

Carbon 

dioxide 

(CO 2 ) 


Fuel supply 


Recycling 

Carbon 

monoxide 

(CO) 

Sulphur 

dioxide 

(SO 2 ) 

Nitrogen 

oxides 

(NO X ) 

Fig. 12: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG 

26 

100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 


Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG 


Hydro 

carbons 

(NMVOC) 

Methane 

(CH 4 ) 

Primary 

energy 

demand


Comparison of Life Cycle Impacts 

On the basis of the Life Cycle Inventory data, Life Cycle Impact Assessments are drawn 

up for all the environmental impact categories. The interactions of all the emissions 

recorded are considered and potential environmental impacts are determined based 

on scientific models (see Fig. 3). 

Diesel vehicles 

With reference to average impact per inhabitant in the EU, Fig. 13 clearly shows that 

all the vehicles considered here make their largest contributions to overall environmental 

impacts in the global warming potential category, followed by acidification 

and photochemical ozone creation. Contributions to the categories eutrophication 

and ozone depletion potential are smaller. Consequently, the notes below focus on 

the first three environmental impact categories. 

2.5 

2.0 

1.5 

1.0 

0.5 

Global warming 

potential 

Photochemical 

ozone 

Acidification Ozone depletion 

Fig. 13: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF and Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF 

27 

Comparison of environmental profiles of Golf diesel cars (absolute) 

Average value per inhabitant, EU 15, 2001 

CO 2 equivalents 

[t] 

28.5 

25.5 

Predecessor 

Ethen equivalents 

[kg] 

12.3 11.6 

Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF * 

SO 2 equivalents 

[kg] 

67.4 

56.0 

R11 equivalents 

[kg] 

0.40 0.36 

PO 4 equivalents 

[kg] 

8.0 

6.4 

Eutrophication 



Fig. 14 shows that the environmental impacts of the Golf VI 2.0 TDI are lower in all 

categories than those of its predecessor, the Golf V 1.9 TDI. At 17 percent, the reduction 

in acidification potential is the most pronounced. This is mainly due to compliance 

with a more stringent exhaust emission standard, i.e. reduced NOx emissions. 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

Comparison of environmental profiles of Golf diesel cars (relative) 

relative to Golf V MPI 

Predecessor 


-11% -6% -17% 

Global warming potential Photochemical ozone creation Acidification 

Fig. 14: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF and Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF (relative) 


As regards global warming potential, the additional impact caused by a slight increase 

in vehicle weight, the improved emission class and the higher engine output of the 

Golf VI 2.0 TDI are compensated for by the reduced fuel consumption. The significant 

(11 percent) reduction in global warming potential represents a cut of approximately 

3 metric tons of CO2 equivalents. Fig. 15 shows how these reductions are achieved. The 

absolute environmental impacts are allocated to the individual life cycle phases. As 

was already evident from the analysis of the Life Cycle Inventory data, the relevant 

changes occur during the use of the vehicle and the production of the fuel required. 

Most of the improvements therefore result either directly (lower driving emissions) or 

indirectly (less fuel production) from lower fuel consumption. It can also be seen that 

the impact of the recycling phase is marginal for all the models considered. 

28


2.5 

2.0 

1.5 

1.0 

0.5 

Allocation of environmental impacts to life cycle phases for 

Golf diesel models (detail) 



Predecessor 


Recycling 


Fuel supply 

Production 

Fig. 15: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF and Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF (detail) 


Fig. 16 below shows the environmental impacts described in relation to each other and 

over the entire life cycle of the vehicle. The relations between manufacture, use and 

recycling with regard to the individual environmental impacts can clearly be seen. 

Global warming potential in particular is influenced mainly by vehicle use (highest 

increase over service life). 

On the other hand, acidification and photochemical ozone creation are distributed more 

evenly over all the phases of the life cycle. The significant reductions in these impacts 

are chiefly due to the more stringent exhaust emission standard of the successor model. 

29

Predecessor model 



1.4 

1.2 

1.0 

0.8 

0.6 

0.4 

0.2 

Comparison of the environmental profiles of the Golf diesel models 

Average impact per inhabitant, EU 15, 2001 

Manufacturing 

Use Recycling 

Fig. 16: Comparison of environmental impacts over the full life cycle – diesel models 

30 

2.8 

2.6 

2.4 

2.2 

2.0 

1.8 

1.6 


Acidification 

Photochemical ozone creation 

0 km Kilometres driven (model calculation) 150,000 km 



Petrol vehicles 

A comparison of the petrol vehicles also shows that the greatest potential environ- 

mental impacts are in the areas of photochemical ozone creation, global warming 

potential and acidification. In this case too, the Golf VI represents an improvement 

over its predecessor in all categories (see Fig. 17). 

3.5 

3.0 

2.5 

2.0 

1.5 

1.0 

0.5 

Comparison of environmental profiles of Golf petrol-engined models 

(absolute) 


37.5 

34.1 


potential 

Predecessor 

18.7 18.2 

Photochemical 

ozone 


Fig. 17: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.6 MPI and Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG 

0.41 0.40 

Acidification Ozone depletion Eutrophication 

The life cycle global warming potential of the Golf VI MPI DSG is considerably lower 

than that of its predecessor. In the case of the 7-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox, the 

combination with an automatic transmission, which normally results in higher fuel 

consumption than with a manual transmission, actually improves fuel economy. This 

confirms the innovative potential of the DSG and the associated fuel saving that is 

31 

CO 2 equivalents 

[t] 

Ethen equivalents 

[kg] 

SO 2 equivalents 

[kg] 

62.7 

58.5 

R11 equivalents 

[kg] 

PO 4 equivalents 

[kg] 

5.4 4.8


possible. Overall, for the assumed distance driven of 150,000 kilometres, greenhouse gas 

emissions show a reduction of around 3.4 metric tons of CO2 equivalents per vehicle. 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

Comparison of environmental profiles of petrol-engined Golf models 

(relative) 

relative to Golf V MPI 


Predecessor 


-9% -3% -7% 

Fig. 18: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.6 MPI and Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG (relative) 

Fig. 18 indicates the changes in environmental impacts between the Golf V 1.6 MPI and 

its successor, the Golf VI MPI with DSG. The diagram clearly shows that photochemical 

ozone creation potential has been reduced by three percent and acidification potential 

by seven percent. In the case of global warming potential, the reduction of 3.4 metric 

tons of CO2 equivalents described above corresponds to a drop of nine percent. 

Fig. 19 indicates the sources of these improvements in detail. As in the case of the diesel 

models, most of the reductions are the result of the lower fuel consumption of the Golf VI 

1.6 MPI with DSG. It can clearly be seen that the driving emissions and the contribution 

to emissions associated with fuel supply are both lower in the case of the successor model. 

Compliance with a higher exhaust emissions class in the case of the Golf VI also has an 

effect in reducing environmental impact. It can also be seen that the manufacture of the 

successor model results in a slightly higher environmental impact. However, improvements 

in the service life emissions and fuel supply easily outweigh this increase. In the 

petrol models too, the recycling phase has only a negligible environmental impact. 

32


3.2 

2.8 

2.4 

2.0 

1.6 

1.2 

0.8 

0.4 

Allocation of environmental impacts to life cycle phases for 

petrol-engined Golf models (detail) 



Predecessor 

Golf VI 1,6 MPI DSG 

Recycling 


Fuel supply 

Production 

Fig. 19: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.6 MPI and Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG (detail) 

The diagram also shows the order of magnitude of the reductions. In the case of the 

Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG (compared with the Golf V 1.6 MPI), the reduction in global 

warming potential is almost sufficient to compensate for the slightly increased emissions 

during vehicle production. This means that, compared with its predecessor, the Golf 

VI 1.6 MPI with DSG, viewed over its entire life cycle, saves more than 70 percent of the 

CO2 equivalents (3.4 metric tons) generated during the entire production of the vehicle 

(4.8 metric tons of CO2 equivalents per vehicle). 

In the case of the petrol models, the global warming potential is even more predominant 

than in the case of the diesel models (see Fig. 20). The lower values of the Golf VI 1.6 MPI 

with DSG can clearly be seen. The benefits in terms of acidification and photochemical 

ozone creation potential are also due to lower fuel consumption, the associated reduced 

environmental impact of fuel production and the more stringent exhaust emissions 

standard for the successor model. 

33

Predecessor model 



3.2 

3.0 

2.8 

2.6 

2.4 

2.2 

2.0 

1.8 

1.6 

1.4 

1.2 

1.0 

0.8 

0.6 

0.4 

0.2 

Comparison of the environmental profiles of the Golf petrol models 

Average impact per inhabitant, EU 15, 2001 

Manufacturing 

Use Recycling 


Acidification 

Photochemical ozone creation 

0 km Kilometres driven (model calculation) 150,000 km 

Fig. 20: Comparison of environmental impacts over the full life cycle – petrol models 

Differentiation of environmental impact caused by manufacturing 

While it is relatively easy to draw up life cycle inventories for the service life of a vehicle, 

the procedure for the manufacturing phase is considerably more complex as a result of 

the wide variety of different parts, materials and processes involved. In the past, it was 

necessary to use cut-off criteria in order to simplify the process and to group together 

material data for a number of different components. Today, the slimLCI process described 

in Chapter 1 allows detailed analyses of the entire parts structure of a vehicle 

and all the associated material data. 

Furthermore, the LCI process means that a wide variety of information normally omitted 

from life cycle inventories in the past can now be considered. This information includes 

part numbers that clearly identify all the parts taken into account, the sources of 

material and weight data (parts lists, MISS, drawings, etc.) and the assignment of parts 

to the six separate disciplines within the Volkswagen Development department: engine, 

transmission, equipment, electrical, body and chassis. 

34


The structured inclusion of this information in the Life Cycle Inventory model supports 

environmentally compatible product development by clearly identifying design respon- 

sibilities and hot spots that can be used as the starting point for further optimisation. 

Contribution of different disciplines to the global 

warming potential generated by vehicle production 


13.9 % 

Fig. 21: Contribution of different disciplines to the global warming potential generated by production of the 


Fig. 21 indicates the contributions of these disciplines to the global warming potential 

generated by the production of the Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG. In addition to the six disciplines 

mentioned above, the shares of painting (paintshop at Wolfsburg plus paint 

supply chains) and final assembly are also shown. As the chart shows, the body makes 

the largest contribution to global warming potential in the manufacturing phase, 

followed by chassis, engine and equipment. 

The high level of detail used for Life Cycle Inventory modelling means that the contributions 

of the various disciplines can be broken down to the level of individual SETs 

(simultaneous engineering teams) and even to the individual components concerned. 

This lays the foundations for a targeted approach to the definition and discussion of 

optimisation measures. 

35 

Equipment 

Electrical 

Chassis 

Transmission 

Body 

Painting 

Assembly 

Engine 

7.9 % 

2.6 % 

14.6 % 

34.4 % 

4.4 % 

3.4 % 

18.8 %

6 Recycling end-of-life vehicles with the VW SiCon process 

Recycling end-of-life vehicles with the 

VW SiCon process 

The VW SiCon process used for life cycle 

inventories for the vehicle recycling phase 

was jointly developed by Volkswagen and 

SiCon GmbH in cooperation with further 

technology partners. The aim of the 

process is to recycle and process end-oflife 

vehicles in a way that yields secondary 

raw materials that can be substituted for 

primary raw materials in existing plant and 

equipment. The materials must therefore 

meet the quality standards of the plant 

operators concerned. That includes not 

only process requirements but also the 

requirements relating to products and 

emissions. Another important consideration 

when the process was developed was to 

ensure that the secondary raw materials 

produced are destined for use in processes 

where the demand for such materials is 

sufficient to ensure that the uptake of 

these materials is assured nationwide 

and in the long term. Currently, there is 

a greater demand for secondary raw 

materials than can actually be met by the 

VW SiCon process. To ensure these aims 

are met, potential plant operators and consumers were involved in the development of 

the process at an early stage. As a result, it was possible to ensure that the materials 

produced meet the physical and chemical requirements of the plant operators concerned. 

Along with the development of the process, a Life Cycle Assessment was drawn up 

to analyse and evaluate the environmental profiles of the different process options. 

This approach – in particular the constructive dialogue with technology partners along 

the entire value chain – is a key element in successful life cycle management. When an 

end-of-life vehicle is recycled using the VW SiCon process, the first step is to drain all 

fluids and to remove certain parts before the remaining body is shredded. Shredder 

residues are subjected to different separation processes and further refining. The 

generated fractions are shredder fluff, shredder sand and shredder granulate, as well as 

a PVC-enriched plastic fraction. These fractions are then recycled. Around five percent 

of the vehicle by weight is not recyclable and is disposed of as waste. Fig. 22 provides an 

overview of the sequence of operations in the VW SiCon process. 

36


Removal of pollutants/ 

fluids, dismantling 

End-of-life vehicle 

Fluids, wheels, 

batteries, 

catalytic converters 

Spare parts 

Iron and steel 

scrap 

Fig. 22: End-of-life vehicle treatment with the VW SiCon process 

Shredding and separation of shredder residues 

Shredder 

VW-SiCon 

process 

Non-ferrous 

metals 

Shredder 

granulate 

Shredder 

fluff 

Shredder 

sand 

PVC 

fraction 

Residues 

The selective processing of the shredder residues for subsequent recycling is shown in 

Fig. 23. The shredder granulate consists of a plastic fraction containing very little PVC 

and metal, which can be used to replace heavy fuel oil as a reducing agent in blast 

furnaces. But before that a PVC-rich fraction is separated. The PVC can be recovered, 

for example using the Vinyloop ® 17 process. The shredder fluff primarily consists of seat 

foams and textile fibres and replaces coal dust as a dehydration agent in sewage sludge 

treatment. The shredder sand, consisting of different metal dusts, paint particles, rust, 

sand and glass, is suitable for use as a slag forming material in non-ferrous metallurgy. 

The copper contained in the shredder sand can be recovered in copper smelting plants. 

It should be mentioned that the VW SiCon process is currently the only method of 

returning copper to the production process by separating it from a sand fraction 

enriched with silicate and copper and low in organic substances in combination with 

high-end recycling. This type of recycling is one of the few sources of a raw material 

which is essential for many European industries. 

17 A process developed by Solvay which can be used for recovering PVC from shredder residue rich in PVC. 

37


Main Shredder residue recycling process 

Iron and steel 

Non-ferrous 

materials 

Raw 

granulate 

Fig. 23: Selective processing of the material fractions from the VW SiCon process 

Of course, we have also drawn up a Life Cycle Assessment for the VW SiCon process, 

comparing it with the dismantling and subsequent recycling of end-of-life vehicles 

[Krinke et al 2005]. Fig. 24 shows the results of this assessment. The Life Cycle Assessment 

revealed that the process has advantages in the environmental impact categories 

global warming potential, acidification potential, photochemical ozone creation 

potential and eutrophication potential; these advantages range from 9 percent for 

eutrophication potential to 29 percent for global warming potential. In addition, the 

study also investigated sensitivity to a number of factors such as transportation distance, 

degree of dismantling, the ratio of primary to secondary plastics and the material 

composition of the recycled vehicles. Even under less favourable conditions, it was 

found that the basic conclusion shown by Fig. 24 still held. In environmental terms, 

the VW SiCon process is always preferable to the dismantling of plastic components. 

38 

Shredder residues 

Raw 

fluff 

Customer-specific recycling steps 

Granulate 

PVC 

fraction 

Blast furnaces 

Vinyloop ® 

Raw 

sand 

Fluff Sand Residues 

Sewage sludge 

treatment 

Non-ferrous secondary 

smelting plant 

Disposal


0% 

-20% 

-40% 

-60% 

-80% 

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment 

Potential reduction in environmental impact in percent 


potential 

Fig. 24: Life Cycle Assessment of the VW SiCon process compared with the dismantling of plastic parts 

In 2006 Volkswagen was awarded the 

European Business Award for the Environ- 

ment and the Environmental Award of the 

Federation of German Industries (BDI) 

for the VW SiCon process. You can find 

further information on the VW SiCon process 

and download the relevant reports 

on the Internet at: 

www.volkswagen-environment.de 

39 

-71% 

Acidification 

potential 

VW SiCon process Dismantling 

Demontage 

-87% 

Photochemical ozone 

creation potential 

-83% 

Eutrophication 

potential 

-94%

7 We‘re driving mobility forward 

We‘re driving mobility forward 

Volkswagen is working on a number of technologies for sustainable 

mobility as part of its Powertrain and Fuel Strategy. This covers the 

entire range of present and future drive systems from current petrol 

and diesel engines via hybrid drives and engines with the Combined 

Combustion System (CCS) to electric vehicles with batteries 

or hydrogen technology. 

We are engaged in a number of projects with partners to produce 

fuels from various different raw materials. For Volkswagen, the 

main emphasis is on second-generation biofuels such as Sun- 

Fuel ® , which can be produced from biomass; during combustion, 

these fuels only release into the atmosphere the same volume of 

carbon dioxide as was absorbed by the plants as they grew. SunFuel can be produced 

from all types of biomass and therefore does not compete with food production. 

SunFuel is already being produced in the world’s first production plant at Freiberg in 

Germany and tested in practice. In technical terms, both petrol and diesel could already 

be replaced by SunFuel ® . 

Volkswagen is also 

forging ahead with 

the development 

of hybrid vehicles, 

which can be especially 

beneficial 

in inner-city driving 

and conurbations. 

Various prototypes 

are already being 

tested. We expect 

that the results obtained 

by the Golf 

TwinDrive fleet, equipped with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and 

a lithium ion battery, will be especially promising. The special feature of the TwinDrive 

is that the internal combustion engine provides assistance for the electric motor, 

and not vice versa. This means that the vehicle can be driven considerable distances 

through cities without producing any direct emissions. In electric propulsion mode, 

the range of the TwinDrive is about 50 kilometres, which would be perfectly adequate 

for most everyday trips. It only takes about four hours to recharge the batteries and any 

power socket can be used. In contrast to internal combustion engines, electric drive 

systems generate no local emissions. From 2010, up to 20 vehicles will be involved in an 

electric mobility fleet test in Berlin and Wolfsburg to test electric propulsion in everyday 

use and to confirm the undeniable benefits of this drive system. In a zero-emission 

40

7 We‘re driving mobility forward 

prototype of the “New Small Family” series, Volkswagen has already demonstrated an 

electric motor drawing its power from a pack of lithium ion batteries. Powered solely 

by batteries, the prototype can already cover the average daily 

distances driven in today’s urban traffic. 

In the long term, Volkswagen regards the electric motor as the drive 

system of the future. It is still not possible to state whether electricpowered 

vehicles will take their power from plug-in batteries or 

fuel cells in the future. As part of its Powertrain and Fuel Strategy, 

Volkswagen is also investigating the potential of fuel cells. For 

example, we have developed a unique type of high-temperature 

fuel cell that eliminates many of the problems associated with 

previous low-temperature systems. The high-temperature fuel cell 

will make the entire drive system installed in a vehicle lighter, 

smaller, more durable and 

less expensive. Volkswagen 

is expecting to start testing 

the first prototypes with 

high-temperature fuel cells 

in 2009. Current forecasts 

predict that the first production 

vehicles will not, 

however, be launched before 

2020. 

A key element in the 

growing trend towards 

electrification will be the use of energy from renewable sources 

such as wind or solar energy or hydropower. Ideally, an electric 

vehicle should be able to „fill up“ directly with electricity. This 

drive system has the benefit of high overall efficiency as the 

electric power is used directly for propulsion, avoiding the high 

energy losses associated with hydrogen production. 

41

8 Conclusion 

Conclusion 

As the best-selling car in Europe, the Volkswagen Golf not only fulfils high expectations 

in terms of safety, comfort and performance but also attains a very high standard of 

environmentally compatible product development. This environmental commendation 

documents the progress that has been achieved in this area in the Golf VI compared 

with the predecessor model. The information provided in this document is based on 

the Life Cycle Assessment of the Golf, which has been verified and certified by TÜV 

NORD. The TÜV report confirms that the Life Cycle Assessment is based on reliable 

data and was drawn up using methods in accordance with the requirements of ISO 

standards 14040 and 14044. 

The Golf demonstrates low fuel consumption and emissions during its service life 

and low environmental impacts during the manufacturing and recycling phases. 

With approximately the same total weight and comparable power output, the Golf VI 

presents a more favourable overall Life Cycle Assessment than its predecessor. 

42 

All information corresponds to the state of knowledge at the time of going to print.

9 Validation 

Validation 

The statements made in the Golf environmental commendation are supported by the 

Life Cycle Assessment of the Golf. The certificate of validity confirms that the Life Cycle 

Assessment is based on reliable data and that the method used to compile it complies 

with the requirements of ISO standards 14040 and 14044. 

You will find the detailed report from TÜV NORD in the Appendix. 

43

Kohlenwasserstoffe 

Stickoxide 

Glossary 

Glossary 

Allocation 

Allocation of Life Cycle Inventory parameters to the „actual source“ in the case of 

processes that have several inputs. 

Average impact per inhabitant figure (EDW) 

Unit indicating the standardised environmental impact Überschrift of one inhabitant für Kreisdiagramm in a 

geographical reference area. 

Headline for pie chart 

Eutrophication potential 

describes excessive input of nutrients into 

water [or soil], which can lead to an undesirable 

change in the composition of flora and 

fauna. A secondary effect of the over-fertilisation 

of water is oxygen consumption and 

therefore oxygen deficiency. The reference 

substance for eutrophication is phosphate 

(PO4), and all other substances that impact on 

this process (for instance NOX, NH3) are 

measured in phosphate equivalents. 

Ozone depletion potential 

describes the ability of trace gases to rise into 

the stratosphere and deplete ozone there in a 

catalytic process. Halogenated hydrocarbons 

in particular are involved in this depletion 

process, which diminishes or destroys the 

protective function of the natural ozone layer. 

The ozone layer provides protection against 

excessive UV radiation and therefore against 

genetic damage or impairment of photosynthesis 

in plants. The reference substance for ozone 

depletion potential is R11, and all other 

substances that impact on this process (for 

instance CFC, N2O) are measured in R11 

equivalents. 

44 

NO X 

Biomass 

Air pollutants 

NH 3 

Überschrift für Kreisdiagramm 


Stratosphere 

15 – 50 km 

UV radiation 

Biomass 

Transpor 

Transpor 

Kraftstoffherstellun 

PO 4 NO 3 NH 4 

CFC 

Waste water 

N 2 O 


Fertiliser application 

Absorption


Stickoxide 


Stickoxide 

Glossar 

Photochemical ozone creation potential 

describes the formation of photooxidants, 

such as ozone, PAN, etc., which can be formed 

from hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO) 

and nitrogen oxides (NOX), in conjunction with 

sunlight. Photooxidants can impair human 

health and the functioning of ecosystems 

and damage plants. The reference substance 

for the formation of photochemical ozone is 

ethene, and all other substances that impact 

on this process (for instance VOC, NOX and 

CO) are measured in ethene equivalents. 


describes the emissions of greenhouse gases, 

which increase the absorption of heat from solar 

radiation in the atmosphere and therefore 

increase the average global temperature. The 

reference substance for global warming 

potential is CO2, and all other substances that 

impact on this process (for instance CH4, N2O, 

SF6 and VOC) are measured in carbon dioxide 

equivalents. 

Acidification potential 

describes the emission of acidifying substances 

such as SO2 and NOX, etc., which have diverse 

impacts on soil, water, ecosystems, biological 

organisms and material (e.g. buildings). Forest 

dieback and fish mortality in lakes are examples 

of such negative effects. The reference substance 

for acidification potential is SO2, and 

all other substances that impact on this process 

(for instance NOX and NH3) are measured in 

sulphur dioxide equivalents. 

Environmental impact category 

An environmental indicator that describes an 

environmental problem (e.g. the formation of 

photochemical ozone) 

45 



Hydrocarbons 

Nitrogen oxides 

Biomass 

Weather 

Transpor 

dry and warm 

OZONE 



UV radiation 

Infrared 

radiation 



H 2 SO 4 

Biomass 

HNO 3 

Transpor 

Absorption 

CO 2 

SO 2 

Hydrocarbons 

Nitrogen oxides 

Reflection 

CFC 

CH 4 



NO X

Bibliography and list of sources 

Bibliography and list of sources 

[14040 2006] International Organization for Standardization: ISO 14040: Environmental Management – Life Cycle 

Assessment – Principles and Framework. 2nd ed.. Geneva: International Organization for Standardization. 

[Bossdorf-Zimmer et al. 2005] Bossdorf-Zimmer, B.; Rosenau-Tornow, D.; Krinke, S.: Successful Life Cycle Management: 

Assessment of Automotive Coating Technologies. Vortrag auf der Challenges for Industrial Production 2005. 

Karlsruhe: Institut für Industriebetriebslehre und Industrielle Produktion der TU Karlsruhe. 

[EU2001] Directive 2001/100/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 December 2001 amending 

Council Directive 70/220/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States on measures to be taken 

against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles 

[EU 2004] Directive 2004/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 amending 

Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 80/1268/EEC as regards the measurement of carbon dioxide emissions and 

fuel consumption of N1 vehicles 

[EU 2008] Commission Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 of 18 July 2008 implementing and amending Regulation 

(EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval of motor vehicles with respect 

to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and 

maintenance information 

[Guinée and Lindeijer 2002] Guinée, J. B.; Lindeijer, E.: Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment: Operational guide to 

the ISO standards. Dordrecht [et al.]: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 

[Koffler et al. 2007] Koffler, C.; Krinke, S.; Schebek, L.; Buchgeister, J.: Volkswagen slimLCI – a procedure for stream- 

lined inventory modelling within Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of vehicles. In: International Journal of Vehicle Design 

(Special Issue on Sustainable Mobility, Vehicle Design and Development). Olney: Inderscience Publishers (in press). 

[Krinke et al. 2005a] Krinke, S.; Bossdorf-Zimmer, B.; Goldmann, D.: Ökobilanz Altfahrzeugrecycling – Vergleich 

des VW-SiCon-Verfahrens und der Demontage von Kunststoffbauteilen mit nachfolgender werkstofflicher 

Verwertung. Wolfsburg: Volkswagen AG. Available on the Internet at www.volkswagen-umwelt.de 

[Krinke et al. 2005b] Krinke, S.; Nannen, H.; Degen, W.; Hoffmann, R.; Rudloff, M.; Baitz, M.: SunDiesel – a new 

promising biofuel for sustainable mobility. Presentation at the 2nd Life-Cycle Management Conference Barcelona. 

Available on the Internet at www.etseq.urv.es/aga/lcm2005/99_pdf/Documentos/AE12-2.pdf 

[PE International 2003] PE International GmbH: GaBi 4.2 Datenbank-Dokumentation. Leinfelden-Echterdingen: 

PE International GmbH. 

[Schmidt et al. 2004] Schmidt, W. P.; Dahlquist, E.; Finkbeiner, M.; Krinke, S.; Lazzari, S.; Oschmann, D.; Pichon, S.; 

Thiel, C.: Life Cycle Assessent of Lightweight and End-Of-Life Scenarios for Generic Compact Class Vehicles. In: 

International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (6), pp. 405-416. 

[Schweimer 1998] Schweimer, G. W.: Sachbilanz des 3-Liter-Lupo. Wolfsburg: Volkswagen AG. 

[Schweimer et al. 1999] Schweimer, G. W.; Bambl, T.; Wolfram, H.: Sachbilanz des SEAT Ibiza. Wolfsburg: 

Volkswagen AG. 

[Schweimer und Levin 2000] Schweimer, G. W.; Levin, M.: Sachbilanz des Golf A4. Wolfsburg: Volkswagen AG. 

[Schweimer und Roßberg 2001] Schweimer, G. W.; Roßberg, A.: Sachbilanz des SEAT Leon. Wolfsburg: 

Volkswagen AG. 

[Schweimer und Schuckert 1996] Schweimer, G. W.; Schuckert, M.: Sachbilanz eines Golf. VDI-Bericht 1307: 

Ganzheitliche Betrachtungen im Automobilbau. Wolfsburg: Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI). 

[Volkswagen AG 2007a] Volkswagen AG: The Passat – environmental commendation, Wolfsburg: Volkswagen AG. 

Im Internet unter www.umweltpraedikat.de 

[Volkswagen AG 2007b] Volkswagen AG: The Golf – Environmental Commendation, Wolfsburg: Volkswagen AG. 

Im Internet unter www.umweltprädikat.de 

[VDA 1997] Verband der deutschen Automobilindustrie (VDA): VDA 231-106: VDA-Werkstoffblatt: Werkstoff- 

klassifizierung im Kraftfahrzeugbau – Aufbau und Nomenklatur. Frankfurt: Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. 

46

List of abbreviationss 

List of abbreviations 

AP Acidification potential 

CFC Chlorofluorocarbons 

CH4 Methane 

CML Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden (Centre for Environmental Sciences, Netherlands) 

CO Carbon monoxide 

CO2 Carbon dioxide 

DIN Deutsche Industrienorm (German Industrial Standard) 

DPF Diesel particulate filter 

DSG Dual-clutch gearbox 

EDW Einwohnerdurchschnittswert (average impact per inhabitant) 

EN European standard 

EP Eutrophication potential 

GJ Gigajoule 

GWP Global warming potential 

HC Hydrocarbons 

KBA Kraftfahrtbundesamt (Federal Motor Transport Authority) 

kW Kilowatt 

LCA Life Cycle Assessment 

LCI Life Cycle Inventory 

MISS Material Information System 

MPI Intake-tube multipoint injection gasoline engine 

N2O Nitrous oxide 

NEDC New European Driving Cycle 

NH3 Ammonia 

Nm Newton metre 

NMVOC Non-methane volatile organic compounds (hydrocarbons without methane) 

NOX Nitrogen oxides 

ODP Ozone depletion potential 

PAN Peroxyacetylnitrate 

PO4 Phosphate 

POCP Photochemical ozone creation potential 

ppm Parts per million 

PVC Polyvinyl chloride 

R11 Trichlorofluoromethane (CCl3F) 

SET Simultaneous engineering team 

SF6 Sulphur hexafluoride 

SO2 Sulphur dioxide 

TDI Turbocharged direct injection diesel engine 

TSI Turbocharged direct injection petrol engine 

VDA Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (Association of the German Automotive Industry) 

VOC Volatile organic compounds 

47

List of figures and tables 

List of figures 

Figure 1: Environmental goals of the Technical Development department of the Volkswagen brand . . 7 

Figure 2: Input and output flows for a Life Cycle Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Figure 3: Procedure for impact assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

Figure 4: Dismantling study of the Golf V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Figure 5: Process of modelling an entire vehicle with the VW slimLCI interface system . . . . . . . . .11 

Figure 6: Scope of the Life Cycle Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Figure 7: Excerpt from the model structure of the Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG ® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Figure 8: Material composition of Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Figure 9: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

Figure 10: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Figure 11: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf V 1.6 MPI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Figure 12: Life Cycle Inventory data for Golf VI 1.6 MPI with DSG ® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Figure 13: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF and Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

Figure 14: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF and Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF (relative). . . . . . . 28 

Figure 15: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.9 TDI DPF and Golf VI 2.0 TDI DPF (detail) . . . . . . . 29 

Figure 16: Comparison of environmental impacts over the full life cycle – diesel models . . . . . . . . 30 

Figure 17: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.6 MPI and Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG ® . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

Figure 18: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.6 MPI and Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG ® (relative) . . . . . . . 32 

Figure 19: Environmental impacts of Golf V 1.6 MPI and Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG ® (detail) . . . . . . . . . 33 

Figure 20: Comparison of environmental impacts over the full life cycle – petrol models . . . . . . . . 34 

Figure 21: Contribution of different disciplines to the global warming potential generated 

by production of the Golf VI 1.6 MPI DSG ® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 

Figure 22: End-of-life vehicle treatment with the VW SiCon process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Figure 23: Selective processing of the material fractions from the VW SiCon process . . . . . . . . . 38 

Figure 24: Life Cycle Assessment of the VW SiCon process compared 

with the dismantling of plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

List of tables 

Table 1: Technical data of vehicles assessed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Table 2: Average impact per inhabitant figures in the EU 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Table 3: Emission limits in accordance with Euro 4 and Euro 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Table 4: Fuel consumption and emissions of vehicles assessed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Table 5: Assumptions and definitions for the Life Cycle Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Table 6: Material composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

48

© Volkswagen AG 

Konzernforschung Umwelt Produkt 

Brieffach 011/1774 

38436 Wolfsburg 

September 2008

Detailed Version - Volkswagen AG

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