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03/17/22
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Engagement & environment

Sustainability at Audi

Audi environmental program Mission:Zero encourages more environmental protection

Mission:Zero is the Audi environmental program for consistently sustainable production All activities and measures for reducing our ecological footprint at Audi sites worldwide, in Production, and in Logistics are bundled here. The focus is on Audi’s key challenges of decarbonization, water use, resource efficiency, and biodiversity. One key objective is to achieve carbon-neutral production locations by 2025.

Mission:Zero at the Ingolstadt site:

On the path to a carbon-neutral site: Audi has been producing cars in Ingolstadt using only green electricity since early 2012. In addition, photovoltaic modules have been installed on an area of approximately 23,000 square meters (247,570 sq. ft.). Nearby industrial facilities supply the location with low-carbon waste heat, for example from a neighboring refinery and the municipal waste recycling plant. Thanks to its energy management, the location was also able to save nearly 37,300 megawatt hours of energy and avoid over 1,800 metric tons of carbon emissions in 2021.

Audi is also focusing on consistently reducing emissions outside the plant gates: since 2017, the company has been operating carbon-free rail logistics in Germany with DB Cargo. The “green train” has already been traveling from Ingolstadt to the port of loading in Emden on the North Sea since 2010, making Audi the first company to use trains that run on green power. In addition, two modern plug-in hybrid locomotives are used at the Ingolstadt site for shunting work. The company is also working continuously to increase the proportion of rail traffic and the use of alternative drives for truck shipments.

  • Water use: To use water even more efficiently, Audi has operated a process water supply center with a membrane bioreactor in Ingolstadt since 2019. Wastewater is converted into high-quality process water by passing through three treatment stages, thereby reducing the need for fresh water in production by up to a third.
  • Resource efficiency: Audi has been operating a highly environmentally sound paint shop in Ingolstadt since 2016. Air circulation, dry separation of the paint particles, and exhaust air treatment result in significant reductions in thermal energy and water consumption as well as CO2 emissions as compared to conventional systems. Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are reduced by over 90 percent.
  • Land recycling: IN-Campus GmbH, a joint venture between the city of Ingolstadt and AUDI AG, has remediated a 75-hectare area of industrial wasteland in the east of Ingolstadt, thus creating the conditions for a technology park – without consuming new land. It is one of the largest remediation projects currently underway in Germany.Fifteen hectares of the total area have been designated as compensation area for nature and landscape.
  • Biodiversity: As a member of the “Biodiversity in Good Company” initiative, Audi is involved in protecting biological diversity with projects at all Audi locations. The open spaces at the external site in Münchsmünster, which are designed to remain close to their natural form, are the largest measure currently underway. A habitat for numerous animal and plant species has been created on around 17 hectares of the plant grounds.

Social engagement

Living responsibly is a deeply rooted principle in Audi’s strategy. As the largest employer in the Ingolstadt region, the Audi Group wants to improve the quality of life locally and therefore regularly works with the city, local businesses, associations, educational institutions, and social services providers.

    • “Audi Volunteers”: Audi bundles social activities together under this motto and supports employees’ volunteer engagement.
    • Focus on education and research: Audi is committed to Ingolstadt and the region, including with scientific cooperation, the public lecture series “Wissenschaft im Dialog” (Science in Dialog), and programs for schoolchildren (Jugend forscht [German youth science competition] and Girls’ Day).
    • Shaping mobility: Audi is working with the Ingolstadt public transit company (INVG) and Deutsche Bahn, among others, to reduce traffic around the site. The people living in the region also benefit from the expansion of the bus network and the new “Ingolstadt Audi” train stop right by the plant premises.
    • The Audi experience in sports: Audi is also a reliable supporter of sports in the region. The company maintains partnerships with the ice hockey club ERC Ingolstadt and FC Ingolstadt 04. Audi attaches particular value to promoting youth and young talent (Audi Schanzer Football Academy and Audi Sportakademie). Audi also supports many other regional clubs and sporting events, for example the Ingolstadt half marathon and triathlon.
    • The Audi experience in culture: Audi has been sponsoring cultural activities for more than 60 years. The Audi Philharmonic Wind Orchestra, a factory orchestra that began as an employee initiative, was the starting point for the company’s cultural involvement. The company now bundles a diverse cultural program under the heading Audi ArtExperience. Concert highlights in the region include the Audi Summer Concerts, the Audi Christmas Concert at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt, and performances by the Audi Young Persons’ Choral Academy. AUDI AG is also a partner and sponsor of the Ingolstadt Museum and Foundation for Concrete Art and Design.
© 2022 by AUDI AG. All rights reserved.

The indicated consumption and emissions values were determined according to the legally specified measuring methods. Since September 1, 2017, type approval for certain new vehicles has been performed in accordance with the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Since September 1, 2018, the WLTP has gradually replaced the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Due to the more realistic test conditions, the consumption and CO2 emission values measured are in many cases higher than the values measured according to the NEDC. Additional information about the differences between WLTP and NEDC is available at www.audi.de/wltp.

At the moment, it is still mandatory to communicate the NEDC values. In the case of new vehicles for which type approval was performed using WLTP, the NEDC values are derived from the WLTP values. WLTP values can be provided voluntarily until their use becomes mandatory. If NEDC values are indicated as a range, they do not refer to one, specific vehicle and are not an integral element of the offer. They are provided only for the purpose of comparison between the various vehicle types. Additional equipment and accessories (attachment parts, tire size, etc.) can change relevant vehicle parameters, such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics and, like weather and traffic conditions as well as individual driving style, influence a vehicle’s electric power consumption, CO2 emissions and performance figures.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures and the official specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the “Guide on the fuel economy, CO2 emissions and power consumption of all new passenger car models”, which is available free of charge at all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany (www.dat.de).

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