Environmental management at Porsche

Long-life vehicles

Choosing materials at Porsche.

The battle of material: this term comes from motorsport and sounds suitably gladiatorial. Because whoever wins this battle usually wins the race. Porsche has won a huge number of races but has interpreted the term very differently and incorporated its knowledge of the best materials to use directly into standard production. Every Porsche is exceptionally comfortable and meets the highest safety standards while remaining lightweight. Furthermore, tire rolling resistance is optimized to both reduce fuel consumption and increase performance. A Porsche also has a long life. Because that preserves natural resources. Just one more reason why our customers like to enjoy their vehicles for as long as possible.

Long-life vehicles – a Porsche study.

At Porsche we have long recognized the significance of resource preservation and presented a study on the issue of long-life vehicles as early as 1973. As a result, Porsche developed new hot-galvanized body technology and extended the corrosion protection warranty to 12 years. Although other car manufacturers have since adopted this technology, there is something that they have not succeeded in emulating: more than two-thirds of all Porsche sports cars ever built are still being driven today worldwide – our most visible contribution to protecting the environment.

Reducing consumption through lightweight construction.

One of the most striking characteristics of any Porsche is its intelligent, lightweight construction that benefits both performance and the environment. Measures to achieve this include using a high proportion of aluminum alloys, plastics and high-strength sheet steel, which is more stable and lighter than conventional steel.

The 911 consists of almost 20 per cent alloys.

The practical implications of this are evident in the 911 Turbo. With a total weight of just 1,585 kilograms (manual transmission), it is one of the lightest vehicles in its class. As standard, the car comes with all-wheel drive and numerous features that offer customers exceptional levels of safety and comfort. These aspects transcend previous models by far and also translate into lower vehicle weight.

Life cycle analysis confirms energy savings.

In order to counter criticisms that producing aluminum consumes a large amount of energy, the new aluminum doors on the 911 Turbo were subjected to a life cycle analysis. This showed that the fuel savings over the life of the vehicle based on its reduced weight far exceed the additional energy required during production.

Recycling

Porsche vehicles are collectors’ items. However, occasionally, there are rare examples which are unable to withstand the ravages of time and so reach the end of their life. They must then be disposed of and recycled. Planning for this is built into the development phase at Porsche to facilitate the recycling process.

“Design for recovery” – for eco-friendly waste disposal.

‘Design for recovery’ initiatives are already being applied in the construction of forthcoming vehicle models. Consideration is given at an early stage to methods of disposing of and recycling components and end-of-life vehicles in an environmentally sustainable way.

Ecologically sound recycling.

Processes for returning and reusing end-of-life vehicles in line with EU requirements have been put in place in conjunction with the Porsche sales organization. As long ago as 1998, an environmental handbook was issued to the Porsche sales organisation outlining the procedure for dealing with end-of-life vehicles. This handbook is regularly updated to promote ecologically sound recycling, with the information also available to recycling facilities online.

Recycling quota of 85% met ahead of schedule.

The EU End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, which came into effect in 2006 and stipulates that 85 per cent of new vehicles must be recyclable, was met ahead of schedule by Porsche. In order to achieve a recycling quota of 95 per cent, which will be in place from 2015, we are developing proprietary procedures for handling materials that cannot be reused at present.

Porsche service intervals preserve resources.

We keep Porsche drivers in mind, as well as the environment. That is why it is important to us that our customers also benefit from the development of more environmentally sound vehicles. Systematically deploying state-of-the-art technologies allows us to keep reducing the intervals between services, even though new equipment features are being added all the time. All current models, for example, accommodate long service intervals. In terms of the environment, this means the use of fewer consumables and replacement parts, while customers save both time and money.

Environmental management

Our headquarters are located in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, an automotive city with many suppliers in the region. This is where most of our employees and their families live. We wish to enjoy the future together which involves taking good care of the environment. For this reason, environmental protection has long been a corporate objective – one that both the management team and employees take very seriously. In 1993 Porsche initiated the Stuttgart ‘Car and environment’ Forum which enables discussion of environmental issues between representatives of the city of Stuttgart and the automotive industry along with its suppliers.

Internal measures to protect the environment.

Back in 1997, Porsche formalized its internal environment protection measures, set up environmental management systems and incorporated them into its research and development activities. The company monitors and assesses environment-related performance at all locations and coordinates the planning and implementation of further measures. Our objectives are ambitious:

Effective environmental management systems.

Naturally, we also voluntarily allow our efforts to be appraised. Since 1996, the environmental impact of activities at our Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen site has been regularly monitored in accordance with the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and the international ISO 14001 standard. Our facilities in Weissach and Leipzig are likewise ISO 14001 certified. The effectiveness of our environmental management systems was last tested and approved in the ‘Best in Class’ category in June 2006.

Production

For many experts the world over, our production processes represent a model of efficiency. Why? Because in the early 1990s – when the company was restructuring – we introduced streamlined processes based on the Japanese model. We adapted these methods and ever since have continually and very successfully optimized them at our factories. Put simply, it is about focusing on added value and eliminating waste in the shape of unproductive time, unused storage space and surplus materials.

In line with our environmental efforts, Porsche wastes nothing that is used in vehicle production, whether it is water, energy or raw materials. This is particularly the case at Zuffenhausen, a site with a high level of social responsibility as it borders on a residential area. This automatically makes the implementation of specific measures and objectives extremely important:

Engine tests without consuming petrol.

During engine manufacturing, all swarf is made into briquettes and completely recycled. The first major engine tests are performed cold, so no petrol is consumed and for the bodywork we are increasingly switching to adhesives technology which increases vehicle rigidity whilst reducing fume emissions during welding. In the paint shop, water-based paints are used which significantly reduces solvent use. Our vehicles feature absolutely no asbestos and no parts containing CFCs. Just a few examples of how green our production processes are.