Audi says its Ingolstadt facility will begin net carbon-neutral production on January 1, 2024 and its main plant will commence building the new Audi Q6 e-tron series.
It’s the automaker’s third plant to claim the net zero achievement after Brussels, Belgium in 2018, and Győr, Hungary in 2020. In addition are the Audi R8 and e-tron GT quattro models, which have been built at Böllinger Höfe with net zero emissions since 2020. Audi has set itself the goal of achieving net carbon neutrality at all its sites worldwide by 2025 when the final steps will have been taken in Neckarsulm and San José Chiapa in Mexico.
At Ingolstadt, Audi is going one step further by revitalizing a former industrial site. The incampus in the south of Ingolstadt is also integrated into the company’s sustainability activities as a branch of the main plant. A joint venture between the automaker and the city of Ingolstadt has redeveloped a 75-hectare industrial wasteland in the east of Ingolstadt. A technology park was built there – without developing any new land. Fifteen hectares of the total area were designated as a compensation area for nature and landscape; a near-natural alluvial forest with nutrient-poor grassland now thrives there.
Audi board member for production and logistics, Gerd Walker, said: “Protecting the environment as best as possible is firmly anchored in Audi’s corporate strategy. By transitioning the Ingolstadt site to renewable energies, we are taking a major step toward our goal of net carbon-neutral vehicle production.”
— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_ and Threads
