Sustainability Drives Success

In view of the increasing environmental impact, the limited availability of fossil fuels and the growing demand for more environmentally friendly mobility solutions, the automotive industry is forced to rethink its production and drive technologies. Car manufacturers need to make products and processes more sustainable to meet the increasing demands of customers, society and politics. The shift to electric vehicles is just one of many important steps to improve the industry’s ecological balance sheet. In addition, extensive measures are needed to promote the circular economy and to significantly reduce emissions.

Against the backdrop of these developments, car manufacturers are forced to rethink and differentiate value creation processes and product life cycles. In this way, the waste produced at the end of the product life cycle and the associated costs can be taken into account in good time and allocated in the best possible way. In addition, it is important to develop a responsible approach to raw materials and to invest in processes for their recycling in order to boost the circular economy and contribute to the greening of the industry.

The automotive industry has a significant impact on global CO2 emissions and is therefore a particularly important and effective lever for decarbonisation. Emission targets are defined within the framework of legal regulations and provide car manufacturers with a compelling framework. In order to meet the increasing regulatory requirements, OEMs are urged to design their products and processes in an emission-saving way. Investments in climate-friendly production processes and the definition of medium- to long-term emission targets are necessary to comply with the regulations and avoid penalties and compensation payments.

There is no single adjusting screw that needs to be turned, but rather a holistic view of the issue of sustainability.

Customers are demanding innovative and future-proof products, while legislators are also scrutinising production processes and defining stricter regulations step by step.

Key Takeaways:

• Challenge: OEMs have to meet a growing number of regulations and adapt their products and production processes to them.
• New opportunities: While the world is undergoing the greatest upheaval since the Industrial Revolution due to the steady reduction of fossil energies, there are numerous opportunities for companies to differentiate themselves in the market through innovation.
• The holistic view of the life cycle of products is becoming increasingly important from the perspective of both customers and legislators.