Audi 2012 Annual Report Download - page 183

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CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Emissions trading
In 2005, the European Union took a leading role in climate protection with the introduction of
CO2 emissions trading. The second trading period in which the Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm and Brus-
sels (Belgium) manufacturing plants participated ended with the 2012 reporting year. The third
trading period, in which the Győr (Hungary) production location is now also participating, runs
from 2013 for a total of eight years, ending in 2020. To minimize the risk of a shortfall in cover
and the potential costs that the Audi Group could consequently incur, instead of selling certifi-
cates that were not needed in the past trading period it has carried them forward to the third
trading period.
PRODUCT-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
Future mobility
Against a backdrop of heightened environmental awareness among consumers and the regulatory
framework for CO2 limits currently being discussed on an international scale in various forms,
reducing fuel consumption is crucially important for Audi.
Over many years the Audi brand has steadily helped to define efficiency standards in automotive
manufacturing through an extensive range of innovations. Pioneering engine concepts such as
TDI, FSI and TFSI and the reversal of the weight spiral are impressive illustrations of how it has
set about this challenge. To continue delivering “Vorsprung durch Technik” and play a decisive
role in defining the future shape of mobility, it is vitally important for our Company to reconcile
fuel efficiency with comfort, sportiness and driving enjoyment. Its basic approach is one of a
diversified concept that offers customers various drive technologies to serve varying needs,
calling upon a wide range of technologies and energy sources.
For the time being, the technical principle of the combustion engine will remain the dominant
drive system. The Audi brand therefore continues to work on optimizing its successful range of
TDI, FSI and TFSI engines. It aims to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions even further
through the systematic use of advanced technologies from its modular efficiency platform.
Electrified drive concepts are a further focal area within our technology matrix. Hybrid technology
provides a very important bridge to plug-in hybrid technology and purely electric driving in that
respect. Related product events in the past fiscal year included the market introductions of the
Audi A6 hybrid and A8 hybrid models. Audi e-tron, which spans all development activities involving
electric mobility, covers plug-in hybrids and vehicles with range extender as well as all-electric
drive versions. Early last year, the Company presented the Audi A6 L e-tron concept in Beijing at
Auto China 2012 – the first e-tron concept in the full-size category. It has a powerful plug-in
hybrid that can travel for up to 80 kilometers purely in the electric mode. The Audi crosslane
coupé concept car that was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2012 also showcased an espe-
cially innovative and efficient dual-mode hybrid drive (cf. “Audi e-tron” under “Research and
development,” p. 156).
Species and landscape conservation Rail freight on green power Solar power Wind power