Inside Audi | Production of the e-tron® GT in Germany | Sustainability | Audi USA

Böllinger Höfe begins net carbon-neutral production of the e-tron® GT.

Published on: 12/09/20


Audi is taking another big step toward a more sustainable future at Böllinger Höfe at the Neckarsulm site. The facility begins the series production of the fully electric-powered Audi e-tron GT, with a certified net carbon-neutral production process.*

The Audi e-tron GT, where style meets greater sustainability.

The model is Audi’s most powerful electric vehicle and it’s the first to be made without physical prototypes. All assembly was tested virtually using in-house software and virtual reality applications. The process also involved the use of 3D printers that recycled polymer waste. These methods helped reduce the use of  metal and packaging that otherwise would have been used to transport sensitive automotive parts.

An Audi mechanic working on a vehicle.

Böllinger Höfe, the perfect blend of smart and greater sustainability

The Böllinger Höfe sports car production facility is the first Audi facility in Germany where operations are  certified net carbon-neutral, with electricity and heat generated from renewable  sources. When Audi cannot use renewable sources, the site uses carbon credits from certified climate protection projects to offset emissions. The resource-conserving facility also avoids paper and packaging with the testing of digital labels, and uses aluminum and polymer closed loops to reduce waste. Thanks to the Aluminum Closed Loop, Audi saves several thousand metric tons of CO2 emissions each year by returning homogeneous aluminum sheet offcuts to the supplier, where they are recycled and ultimately reused at Audi.

But logistics are just as important as production. At Neckarsulm, all rail traffic is net carbon neutral, with a variety of locomotives using compressed natural gas or electric drives, biomethane-powered trucks, and trucks powered by liquefied natural gas. Each of these are designed to reduce emissions of CO2 by up to 20 percent and nitrogen oxides by approximately 85 percent compared to conventional diesel trucks.

By 2025, Audi plans to have all net carbon-neutral production sites as part of its Mission:Zero environmental program reduce its ecological footprint with greater sustainability in mind.

An Audi assembly line.
Audi RS e-tron® GT prototype.

Audi RS e-tron GT prototype.

European model shown. Specifications may vary.


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