On today’s roads, many of the vehicles you see are a testament to carmakers’ commitment to using greener practices to reshape the future of mobility. From eco-friendly cars revolutionising your commute to factories powered by renewable energy, find out about five key green automotive trends driving change for the planet and you as a driver.
1. Driving Forward with Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) are leading the charge in automotive sustainability. These sleek, quiet and eco-friendly cars are transforming the way we think about driving. Leading manufacturers are investing heavily in EV development, making them a common sight on UK roads. For instance, Nissan invested £1.12 billion to make all three models made at its Sunderland plant 100% electric.
EVs are redefining the driving experience, letting users enjoy smoother, quieter journeys and lower running costs – and they’ll only get more eco-friendly as the UK’s electricity grid gets greener. With the UK Government’s pledge to install a minimum of 300,000 public chargers by 2030, owning an EV is set to become ever more practical.
2. Boosting Fuel Economy
While EVs dominate headlines, traditional petrol and diesel engines are becoming greener, too, thanks to innovations in technology. For example, Ford’s EcoBoost engines use direct injection to deliver outstanding fuel economy. They inject a precise, highly pressurised dose of fuel directly into the combustion chamber, optimising fuel usage.
If you drive a more traditional vehicle, technological advancements like this can save you money at the pump and reduce your carbon footprint. In this way, even if you’re not ready to switch to an EV, you can still benefit from a more sustainable car.
3. Embracing the Circular Economy
The auto industry is going beyond reducing emissions by completely rethinking how cars are built and recycled. Many automakers are changing the game by designing vehicles for reuse and recycling from day one. With this approach, cars become part of a continuous cycle, in which old vehicles give life to new ones.
Renault’s Refactory in Flins, France exemplifies this approach. By refurbishing used car parts, recycling materials and repurposing EV batteries, it’s reducing waste and championing a more sustainable car economy.
As a car owner, circular economy practices mean potentially lower costs for replacement parts and the satisfaction of knowing your vehicle’s lifecycle contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable world.
4. Innovating with Sustainable Materials
Step inside a modern car and you might be surrounded by innovation you can’t even see. Automakers are turning to recycled and bio-based materials to design eco-friendly cars without compromising on quality.
Ford, for example, recycles plastic bottles to produce underbody shields, while Volkswagen uses 10% collected marine debris and 90% recycled polyethylene yarn for seat covers in its ID. models. By choosing a car made with innovative materials like these, you can support cleaner oceans, reduced waste and a greener, more sustainable future.
5. Powering Factories with Renewable Energy
The auto industry’s sustainability advancements aren’t limited to cars themselves; these changes are also taking place in the factories where they’re made. More manufacturers are turning to renewable energy, slashing the carbon footprint of vehicle production.
To illustrate this, BMW’s Leipzig plant runs largely on its four wind turbines, powering the production of thousands of vehicles daily, whereas Toyota’s UK engine plant in Deeside harnesses solar energy with over 13,000 solar panels.
This commitment to clean energy ensures the cars you buy have a smaller environmental impact from the get-go, demonstrating how the vehicle industry is going green beyond the road.
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Check out our knowledge hub for more insights into how the auto industry is going green.
