The Passat
Environmental Commendation
A Tradition of Progress
More than 35 years ago, The Volkswagen Passat ushered in a new era of automobile production. At that time, no one could have imagined the technical progress
that would later characterise this model. When the first Passat was launched, there
were only three engine options, all petrol, and one body version. The first diesel
only followed five years later. In the course of time, however, numerous innovations were introduced, improving not only the driving properties and equipment
of the Passat, but also its environmental compatibility. The Passat became one
of the most successful Volkswagen models and one of the most popular cars in
Europe. To date, we have sold almost 13 million units and an end to this success
story is not in sight.
From generation to generation we have made major technical changes to adapt
the Passat to new market challenges and customer requirements. From the outset, the Passat featured front-wheel drive and a water-cooled engine and over
time the underlying concept of this model also proved superior in terms of comfort, performance, fuel economy and emissions. The pinnacle of development
in this respect is the natural-gas-powered Passat TSI EcoFuel, which has lower
emissions than any other Passat to date. So not only did the Passat herald a new
era, it has also continually responded to new challenges in terms of environmental protection and resource conservation.
Volkswagen is committed to ensuring that each model developed has better environmental properties than its predecessor, viewed over the entire vehicle life
cycle from production through to recycling. In order to achieve this objective, the
Technical Development department of the Volkswagen brand has set itself environmental targets in the areas of healthcare, climate protection and resource
conservation. Based on these goals, detailed environmental targets for individual vehicles are defined and pursued. Apart from developing especially efficient
powertrain systems, Volkswagen aims to reduce fuel consumption and emissions
by improving the energy efficiency of electrical components, optimizing rolling
resistance and aerodynamic drag and pursuing lightweight design.
2
The Environmental Commendation
Our environmental commendations for new vehicle models and technologies highlight ecological progress compared with pred­
ecessor models and the technologies previously used. We use environmental commendations to inform our customers, our share­
holders and other stakeholders within and outside the company how we are making our products and production processes more
environmentally compatible and what we have achieved in this respect. The underlying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) not only cov­
ers the time when the Passat is on the road but its entire life cycle from production through to use and recycling. This reflects the
fact that we assume responsibility for the entire supply chain, including the producers of raw materials and parts for our vehicles.
We engage in dialogue with our suppliers to identify environmental measures that can be taken. We also provide training, enter
into cooperation arrangements and compile Life Cycle Assessments. This environmental commendation also indicates the impact
of fuel production and vehicle recycling on the environment. The information in this environmental commendation is based on a
Life Cycle Assessment of the Passat, which has been verified and certified by the technical inspection organisation TÜV NORD. The
TÜV certificate confirms that the Life Cycle Assessment is based on reliable data and that the methods used to compile it comply
with the requirements of ISO standards 14040 and 14044. You will find further information on the Internet at www.environmentalcommendation.com and in the background report of the environmental commendation for the Passat, which can also be down­
loaded from this website.
3
The Progress is in the Detail
Intelligent lightweight design is a field in which progress is in great demand,
because statutory safety requirements and higher expectations in terms of comfort make for heavier cars. In response, among other measures, for the Passat
Volkswagen uses the hot stamping process to manufacture body components.
This makes them both lighter and stronger than components made with conventional forming processes. The Passat is the first model in which hot stamping is being used on a large scale. To determine whether the advantages outweigh the increased energy consumption and the greater cost and effort involved,
Volkswagen conducted a Life Cycle Assessment.
The result makes very interesting reading: although hot stamping consumes
more energy during the manufacturing process – equating to an increase of
about 22 kg of CO2 emissions per vehicle – it makes each body some 20 kg lighter. Using this process also means that 68 kg less steel has to be produced per
car. So by saving on material and weight, the overall balance sheet – not least
for the greenhouse gas CO2 – is better than that of a car built using conventional
forming techniques. Thanks to the lower weight, the fuel consumption – and
hence the CO2 emissions – are also reduced during the vehicle’s service life, i. e.
4
while it is on the road. This also brings demon-
we assess the entire process chain, from well
strable benefits with regard to other environ-
to wheel, so to speak. Every step, from extrac-
mental impacts, such as summer smog or soil
tion of the crude oil, transport and refining,
acidification.
all the way to the filling station is included in
the LCA.
That is just one of many examples, but it clearly
underlines what enormous potential innovative processes have and how this can be demonstrated by means of Life Cycle Assessments. This
KEYWORD Summer smog
is why Volkswagen has been analysing the environmental impact of its vehicles and their individual components for more than ten years now.
We don’t merely focus on the vehicles’ service
lives, but also take account of the phases before
and after, i. e. production and recycling. In addition, Life Cycle Assessments include another
important component: fuel production. Here
5
On hot days, direct, intense sunlight
turns atmospheric pollutants – particu­
larly carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides
and hydrocarbons – into ground-level
ozone, a potential irritant gas for plants,
animals, and humans alike.
A Successful Balance Sheet
A Life Cycle Assessment in accordance with ISO 14040, which forms the basis of
the Environmental Commendation for the Passat, can be divided into three phases. First of all, a Life Cycle Inventory is drawn up, in which all relevant types and
quantities of material as well as types and amounts of energy that go into the production, use and recycling of the vehicle are documented and quantified. Then
an evaluation of potential environmental impacts is performed, regarding, for
example, the greenhouse effect, summer smog and acidification or eutrophication of water and soil. And finally the results are analysed. For the Life Cycle Assessment of the Passat, we compared our best-selling model – the 2.0 litre TDI
with 103 kW 1 – with its almost equally powerful predecessor (2.0 TDI, 100 kW) and
the particularly fuel-efficient Passat BlueMotion (2.0 TDI, 81 kW). In the case of
the petrol-engined versions, a model with 1.4-litre TSI engine (90 kW) and 7-speed
DSG® gearbox was compared with a predecessor model with a comparable engine
option (2.0 MPI, 85 kW).
We also compared the natural-gas-powered Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel (110 kW) with
an equally powerful petrol-engined reference model (1.8 MPI, 110 kW) from the
preceding series.
Compared to its predecessor, the current model is not only larger but also slightly heavier on account of the above-mentioned safety and comfort requirements.
Despite this, improvements have been achieved in fuel consumption and the
related CO2 emissions. In terms of fuel efficiency, the BlueMotion in particular
reveals the scale of the potential we have been able to exploit.
Volkswagen awards the BlueMotion badge to vehicles that are designed to be
particularly fuel-efficient. They combine fuel-saving technology with a powertrain that is both efficient and dynamic. The standard production Passat BlueMotion comes with a diesel particulate filter and owes its good fuel consumption
and emission values to the continuous fine-tuning of the powertrain, chassis and
body.
By way of example, a newly developed start-stop system effectively reduces fuel
consumption. In addition, the manual gearbox features a higher ratio in the top
two gears to reduce the engine speed level.
1
Details of the fuel consumption and emission values of the vehicles assessed are shown in
the table on page 8 and in the background report of the Environmental Commendation at
www.environmental-commendation.com.
6
Environmental Description, Passat Estate
Generally improved environmental profile throughout the vehicle life cycle compared with the predecessor or
reference model due to lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions
Greenhouse effect – less CO2 emissions overall *
• Diesel-engined models: -10% and -19% (BlueMotion)
• Petrol-engined models: -22% and -32%(EcoFuel)
Reduced contribution to formation of summer smog *
• Diesel-engined models: -5% and -8% (BlueMotion)
• Petrol-engined models: -9% and -23% (EcoFuel)
Reduction of driving emissions (CO2) *
• 148 g/km, (BlueMotion 129 g/km) compared to
predecessor’s 170 g/km for diesel
• 154 g/km compared to predecessor’s 209 g/km
for petrol-engined model and 121 g/km for EcoFuel
compared to 202 g/km for reference model
Reduction of fuel consumption through:
• Use of tyres with improved rolling resistance
• Intelligent lightweight design
(hot stamping/use of aluminium components)
7
• Use of high-efficiency electric modules
• Use of fuel-saving engine oils
• Reduced aerodynamic drag and frictional
resistance
Resource conservation through:
• Use of long-lasting components (longlife and
LED lamps, maintenance-free particulate filters
and catalytic converters)
• Longer service and oil-change intervals
Materials with less environmental impact:
• Use of renewable raw materials (e. g. for filter
materials)
• Avoiding components containing PVC and
heavy metals
* Applies to the actual vehicles assessed in this test series
The development engineers also modified the
combination with supercharging, this tech-
software in the electronic engine control
nology also makes modern petrol engines,
system (ECS) to reduce the engine speed. And
such as Volkswagen’s TSI units, very econom­
BlueMotion drivers also shift gears very eco-
ical. Thanks to supercharging and direct in­
nomically. The ECS signals a “recommended
jection, TSI engines develop more torque,
gear”, which appears on the multifunction
especially at low engine speeds. The result is
display in the cockpit. The radiator grille trim
more comfortable driving and better fuel
was also modified, the suspension was low-
economy at the same time as greater driving
ered and an underbody tray was fitted, which
pleasure. In 2008, TSI technology received the
improved aerodynamic drag (Cd * A) to 0.624.
Engine of the Year Award for the third year in
Low rolling resistance tyres fitted on the stand-
succession.
ard production model complemented the technical improvements. The combination of
A natural-gas-powered Passat can be even more
these measures with our efficient TDI engines
economical than the diesel or petrol models.
resulted in particularly low fuel consumption
With its 1.4-litre TSI engine, the Passat 1.4 TSI
(4.9 litres of diesel per 100 km over a combined
EcoFuel emits about one third less CO2 than a
cycle) and correspondingly favourable CO2
comparable petrol-engined model. Further-
emissions of only 129 g/km.
more, it is as inexpensive to drive a Passat with
Among other things, the fuel economy of our
a petrol model 25 years ago.
CNG (compressed natural gas) as it was to drive
TDI engines is due to direct fuel injection. In
Vehicles assessed
VW Passat Estate
2.0 TDI DPF®
VW Passat Estate
2.0 TDI DPF®
BlueMotion
VW Passat Estate
1.4 TSI DSG®
VW Passat Estate
1.4 TSI EcoFuel
DSG®
1968
1968
1390
1390
103
81
90
110
6-speed manual
5-speed manual
7-speed DSG®
7-speed DSG®
Diesel
Diesel
Petrol (Super)
Natural gas (CNG)
(7.3/4.7/5.7)
(6.3/4.1/4.9)
(8.3/5.5/6.5)
(8.8/5.6/6.8)
Euro 5
Euro 5
Euro 4
Euro 5
Carbon dioxide emissions; combined [g/km]
148
129
154
121
Maximum speed [km/h]
206
196
198
208
Acceleration 0-100 km/h [s]
10.1
11.9
10.8
9.9
1497
1468
1429
1577
Engine capacity [cm3]
Output [kW]
Gearbox
Fuel
Fuel consumption
[1/100 km or m3/100 km for CNG]
(urban/overland/combined)
Emission class
DIN unladen weight [kg]
8
Life cycle contribution to greenhouse effect
Life cycle contribution to summer smog
Passat Estate 2.0 TDI DPF®
Passat Estate 2.0 TDI DPF®
0.1 %
Production
0.4 %
42.8 %
Fuel provision
69.8 %
20.7%
Driving
emissions
35.3%
Recycling
9.1%
21.7%
In terms of energy content, natural gas costs
As part of its integral product policy, however,
only half as much as petrol on the German
Volkswagen considers not only individual en-
market. The German government is promot-
vironmental aspects, such as fuel consumption
ing the use of natural gas as a motor fuel by
or emissions, but the entire life cycle of the ve-
imposing a considerably lower rate of fuel tax.
hicle. Among all environmental impacts, road
Tax on natural gas is only a few percent of the
traffic is mostly associated with the greenhouse
tax on petrol or diesel and under the present
effect and summer smog. The car plays a less
law this situation is due to continue until 2018.
important role in contributing to other environmental impacts, such as the destruction of the
In addition, the bivalent Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel
ozone layer and acidification or eutrophication
is just as safe, convenient and serviceable as
of lakes and rivers. We will therefore concentrate
a petrol or diesel model. The three natural gas
on the first two categories mentioned.
tanks and the petrol tank are all installed in
a space-saving underfloor configuration with
A comprehensive analysis of all investigated
no adverse effect on the versatility of the inte-
environmental impacts can be found in the
rior or the boot space. The steel tanks have
background report of the Environmental Com-
been subjected to the most severe crash tests
mendation at
available. In the event of an emergency, the
www.environmental-commendation.com.
gas supply is automatically cut off by electronic
Within the environmental impact of the entire
shut-off valves.
life cycle of a car, the production and – even
Irrespective of the fuel used, diesel, petrol or
more so – the recycling phases have a compar-
natural gas, TDI and TSI engines can increase
atively low impact on the environment. The
their savings potential even further in combi-
most relevant environmental impact occurs
®
nation with the DSG dual-clutch gearbox de-
during the vehicle’s service life, with direct driv-
veloped by Volkswagen. The DSG® combines
ing emissions and fuel production accounting
the efficiency of a manual gearbox with the
for the greatest impact. Not surprisingly, direct
ease of use of an automatic. This gearbox is not
driving emissions are the main factor in terms
only more convenient to use; it also improves
of the greenhouse effect.
both performance and fuel economy.
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Easing the Environmental Burden
Compared to its predecessor, the new Passat presents a much better balance
sheet over the entire life cycle of the vehicle with regard to the greenhouse effect
and summer smog. Although CO2 emissions are slightly higher during production
of the new model, these are very quickly offset by lower emissions during the subsequent service life. With an assumed lifetime mileage of 150,000 kilometres, the
two diesel models emit 22.2 metric tons (TDI) and 19.4 metric tons (BlueMotion)
of carbon dioxide. Equipped with the DSG® dual-clutch gearbox, during its service life the 1.4-litre TSI emits 23.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide as a conventional
petrol-engined model, while the CNG-powered Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel emits only
18.2 metric tons.
Over the entire life cycle, for the TDI this equates to an overall reduction of around
10% compared to the previous model. The BlueMotion achieves an even better
value of minus 19 percent. In the case of the petrol-engined 1.4 TSI DSG ®, the reduction is about 22 percent, while the natural-gas-powered TSI EcoFuel achieves
a reduction of all of 32 percent in
greenhouse gas emissions com-
Reduction of greenhouse effect/summer smog
over full life cycle (diesel models)
in percent
pared with the petrol-engined reference model.
Redu
over
in pe
The overall reduction in emissions
of this greenhouse gas is significant,
®
100
-10%
-19%
-5%
-8%
100
since the Passat 1.4 TSI DSG emits
approximately 10 metric tons less
CO2 than its predecessor. The true
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
scale of this reduction is illustrated
by the fact that the entire production process for a Passat Estate 1.4
TSI DSG® generates approximately
6.4 metric tons of greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse effect
Summer smog
Predecessor
Passat Estate 2.0 TDI
Passat Estate 2.0 TDI BlueMotion
10
And, thanks to the reduced fuel consumption
and the related savings on the fuel provision
front, other environmental impacts, such as
the contribution to the formation of summer
smog, are also reduced.
Volkswagen optimises not only the production and service life of a vehicle, but also its
recycling and disposal. In cooperation with
other industrial partners, we have developed
the VW-SiCon process, which enhances the
environmental compatibility of the vehicle recycling process by enabling the material in
almost every component to be recycled. In the
conventional recycling of end-of-life vehicles,
mer smog
%
Reduction of greenhouse effect/summer smog
over full life cycle (petrol models)
in percent
after draining, dismantling and shredding,
some 20% of the vehicle by weight remains as
shredder residue. The VW-SiCon process, by
contrast, puts even the shredder light fraction
-8%
-22%
100
-32%
-9%
-23%
to optimum use as secondary raw material,
thus achieving a recycling quota of 95% of the
vehicle by weight. In 2006, Volkswagen won the
80
European Business Award for the Environment
for this contribution to resource conservation.2
We have, of course, also conducted a Life Cy-
60
cle Assessment for the VW-SiCon process.
VW-SiCon plants are now in operation or being
40
set up in several European countries.
20
2
FurtherinformationontheVW-SiConprocessisavailable
on the Internet at www.mobility­and­sustainability.com.
r smog
Greenhouse effect
Summer smog
Predecessor/reference model
Passat Estate 1.4 TSI DSG®
Passat Estate 1.4 TSI EcoFuel DSG®
11
Comparison of impact on the greenhouse effect – diesel models
(CO2 equivalents in t)
Predecessor
Passat Estate
2.0 TDI
Passat Estate
2.0 TDI
BlueMotion
Production
Service life
Recycling
45.0
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0 km
Mileage
150,000 km
Since 1996, Volkswagen has been the only automobile manufacturer worldwide to have its environmental management system for
vehicle development certified to ISO 14001. In line with the environmental targets of the Technical Development department, we
develop vehicles with continuously improved environmental prop-
KEYWORD CO2 equivalents
erties. To this end, we have put in place binding environmental
standards throughout the Volkswagen Group that provide designers
with numerous specifications and support for the environmentally
The indicator substance for the
greenhouse effect is CO2 equiv­
alents. All substances that con­
tribute to the greenhouse effect
are converted into CO2 equiv­
alents through an equivalence
factor. Thus methane (CH4) has a
greenhousepotential25times
higher than CO2.
In concrete terms this means that
the emission of 1 kg of CO2 and
1 kg of CH4 leads to a net green­
houseeffectof26kgCO2 equiv­
alents. All emissions that contrib­
ute to the greenhouse effect are
measured in this way.
compatible design of vehicles and their components. As a result,
the use of harmful substances is minimised and recyclable materials
are given preference. Wherever possible, renewable raw materials
and recycled materials are used.
At Volkswagen, environmental protection is an issue that affects not
only our products but also our production processes. Through our
environmental management systems we also ensure that in-process
environmental protection is constantly improved. Since 2007, all VW
production plants have been inspected for environmental compatibility in accordance with the international standard ISO 14001;
in Germany and some other European countries, plants are also inspected and certified in accordance with the EU Eco-Management
and Audit Scheme (EMAS). We started to have our plants certified
to EMAS as early as 1995. Furthermore, 22 Environmental Principles
that apply throughout the Volkswagen Group ensure that all our
plants across the globe work to comparable rigorous environmental
standards.
12
Comparison of impact on the greenhouse effect – petrol models
(CO2 equivalents in t)
Predecessor
Passat Estate
1.4 TSI DSG®
Production
Service life
Recycling
45.0
40.0
35.0
Reference
Passat Estate
1.4 TSI EcoFuel
DSG®
30,0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0 km
The Environmental
Commendation
We use the Environmental Commendation to inform our customers, our
shareholders and other stakeholders
inside and outside the company, how
we are making our products and production processes more environmentally compatible and what we have
achieved in this respect. The information in the Environmental Commendation is based on the Life Cycle Assessment of the Passat Estate, which has
been verified and certified by the technical inspection organisation TÜV
NORD. The certificate confirms that the
Life Cycle Assessment is based on reliable data and that the methods used to
compile it comply with the requirements
of ISO standards 14040 and 14044.
13
Mileage
150,000 km
We ’re Driving Mobility Forward
Volkswagen is working on a number of technologies for sustainable mobility as
part of its Powertrain and Fuel Strategy. This covers the entire range of present
and future drive systems from current petrol and diesel engines via hybrid drives
and engines with the Combined Combustion System (CCS) to electric vehicles
with batteries or fuel cell technology.
We are engaged in a number of projects with partners to produce fuels from var­
ious raw materials. For Volkswagen, the main emphasis is on second-generation
biofuels such as SunFuel®, which can be produced from biomass; during combustion, these fuels only release into the atmosphere the same volume of carbon
dioxide as was absorbed by the plants as they grew. SunFuel can be produced
from all types of biomass and therefore does not compete with food production.
SunFuel is already being produced in the world’s first production plant at Frei­
berg in Germany and tested in practice. In technical terms, both petrol and diesel
could already be replaced by SunFuel®.
Volkswagen is also forging ahead with the development of hybrid vehicles, which
can be especially beneficial in inner-city driving and conurbations. Various prototypes are already being tested. We expect that the results obtained by the Golf
TwinDrive fleet, equipped with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor
and a lithium ion battery, will be especially promising. The special feature of the
TwinDrive is that the internal combustion engine provides assistance for the electric motor, and not vice versa. This means that the vehicle can be driven considerable distances through cities without producing any direct emissions. In electric
propulsion mode, the range of the TwinDrive is about 50 kilometres, which would
be perfectly adequate for most everyday trips. It only takes about four hours to recharge the batteries and any power socket can be used. In contrast to internal combustion engines, electric drive systems generate no local emissions. From 2010,
up to 20 vehicles will be involved in an electric mobility fleet test in Berlin and
Wolfsburg to test electric propulsion in everyday use and confirm the undeniable
benefits of this drive system. In a zero-emission prototype of the “New Small
Family” series, Volkswagen has already demonstrated an electric motor drawing its
power from a pack of lithium ion batteries. Powered by batteries alone, the prototype can already cover the average daily distances driven in today’s urban traffic.
In the long term, Volkswagen regards the electric motor as the powertrain system
of the future. It is still not possible to state whether electric-powered vehicles will
take their power from plug-in batteries or fuel cells in the future. As part of its
14
Powertrain and Fuel Strategy,
Volkswagen is also investigating
the potential of fuel cells. For
example, we have developed a
unique type of high-temperature
fuel cell that eliminates many
of the problems associated with
previous low-temperature systems. The high-temperature fuel
cell will make the entire drive system installed in a vehicle lighter,
smaller, more durable and less
expensive. Volkswagen is expecting to test the first prototypes
with high-temperature fuel cells
in 2009. However, the first production vehicles cannot be expected before 2020.
A key element in the growing
trend towards electrification will
be the use of energy from renewable sources such as wind or solar energy or hydropower. Ideally,
an electric vehicle should be able
to “fill up” directly with electricity.
This drive configuration has the
benefit of high overall efficiency
as the electric power is used directly for propulsion, avoiding
the high energy losses associated
with hydrogen production.
Further information
– The Golf.
Environmental Commendation
– The DSG® Dual-Clutch Gearbox.
Environmental Commendation
– Evolution not Revolution.
TheVolkswagenFueland
Powertrain Strategy
– Making Zero Emissions Possible.
FuelCellsandElectricPropulsion
Systems from Volkswagen
– Assuming Responsibility.
Volkswagen and CO2
– The Volkswagen AG Sustainability
Report 2007/2008
– Moving ahead. Thinking. Acting.
Responsibility and efficiency in
the vehicle life cycle
All these publications are available
on the Internet at
www.mobility-and-sustainability.com.
You will find further information on
the Environmental Commendation on
the Internet at www.environmentalcommendation.com.
15
The Passat
Environmental Commendation
© Volkswagen AG
Group Research
Environment Affairs Product
P.O. Box 011/1774
38436 Wolfsburg
Germany
January 2009
Art. No.: 815.1245.27.18
www.volkswagen.de
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