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E-mobility

C is for Cobalt

C is for Cobalt

In addition to climate protection, compliance with social standards also plays a central role for Volkswagen when it comes to the resource requirements for e-mobility – especially in the responsible mining of Cobalt. Around two-thirds of the metal is now mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and sustainable mining in the developing country is a long-term challenge. Volkswagen is involved along the entire value chain in sustainability initiatives such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) or the Global Battery Alliance of the World Economic Forum. The measures in the initiatives are accompanied by the company's own specifications and checks along the supply chain, which are simplified by the increased transparency provided by the direct procurement of materials. As part of the RMI, for example, Volkswagen is working on a certification system for cobalt in order to improve mining conditions and make the origin of the material traceable. The Drive Sustainability working group is developing uniform monitoring instruments and sustainability training courses for suppliers. The targeted reduction of cobalt within the Lithium-ion battery is also of central importance. The share of the raw material is to be reduced from currently twelve to 14 percent (weight share in the cathode) to five percent within the next three to five years. Volkswagen is working on developing cobalt-free battery cells.

< B is for Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)

D is for Decarbonization >

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Products as well as Volkswagen AG distributors can be found at: www.volkswagen.de.

The specified fuel consumption and emission data have been determined according to the measurement procedures prescribed by law. Since 1st September 2017, certain new vehicles are already being type-approved according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Starting on September 1st 2018, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) will be replaced by the WLTP in stages. Owing to the more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured according to the WLTP will, in many cases, be higher than those measured according to the NEDC. For further information on the differences between the WLTP and NEDC, please visit www.volkswagen.de/wltp.

We are currently still required by law to state the NEDC figures. In the case of new vehicles which have been type-approved according to the WLTP, the NEDC figures are derived from the WLTP data. It is possible to specify the WLTP figures voluntarily in addition until such time as this is required by law. In cases where the NEDC figures are specified as value ranges, these do not refer to a particular individual vehicle and do not constitute part of the sales offering. They are intended exclusively as a means of comparison between different vehicle types. Additional equipment and accessories (e.g. add-on parts, different tyre formats, etc.) may change the relevant vehicle parameters, such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics, and, in conjunction with weather and traffic conditions and individual driving style, may affect fuel consumption, electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions and the performance figures for the vehicle.

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 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, D-73760 Ostfildern, Germany and at www.dat.de.