2023-04-02 07:00:00
When it comes to sustainability, Skoda not only wants to make an important statement within the VW Group. The focus is not only on the four electric cars that are due to come onto the market by 2026, but also the increased use of recycled materials in production should help in the pursuit of climate neutrality.
In a small group, Karsten Schnake, Director of Procurement at the headquarters in Mlada Boleslav, explained some of the planned steps. He sees the driver as a partner who is capable of learning: “Consumers are attaching more and more importance to sustainable products, which will become a purchasing decision in the not too distant future,” says Schnake. The auto industry is therefore changing, and standards of value are already shifting. Emitting 15 to 20 percent less CO2 is an achievable goal in the short term.
That’s why Skoda has its own purchasing department that specifically examines the requirements of sustainability. According to Karsten Schnake, this is a topic of friction, but has arrived in daily work and helps to clear the mountains of plastic. The first attempts are being made to use old tires for the color pigmentation of dark car paints. In the future, the energy-intensive production of aluminum will only be operated with green electricity. Seat covers are made from wool and recycled PET bottles. And the umbrella integrated in the door area of some series already had a previous life with other tasks.
However, the conversion can only succeed if the suppliers are viewed as partners and are attuned to this path, says the Skoda chief buyer. His motto is not simply throwing out the supplier, but making him fitter. Many companies are even grateful for the coaching. Together with the partners, topics such as the transport of heavy parts by rail are already being written into the specifications for a new model.
As a further step towards more sustainability, the “Refurbishing” model is being examined. Here, parts or entire vehicles are renovated following a certain period of time, which promises a cost advantage, especially for electric vehicles. If battery packs are physically split during construction, the entire battery does not have to be replaced at the end of its service life. In any case, the replacement of entire components must be considered. A dashboard may serve as an example of this. If it is damaged in one place, in most cases it can only be replaced as a whole. The price of the replacement cockpit is in the compact class at around 1500 euros, the working time costs almost as much. Headlight modules are also made from one piece, replacing a defective glass pane is no longer possible
According to Karsten Schnake, the end of the 2030s will see the point at which batteries can be made from recycled materials. It remains to be seen whether this will have a cost-reducing effect. Skoda also plays with its reputation of being simply clever not only in terms of technology, but also in terms of price. It is an open secret that the popular Fabia will die in the next few years. However, a new entry-level model is being developed together with VW. (aum/mk)
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