Ecological Assessment for InCar Projekt of ThyssenKrupp

In the cross-Group research project InCar, ThyssenKrupp engineers from the Steel Europe and Components Technology business areas have developed 35 innovations for auto manufacturers. The first InCar parts are already being tested in auto manufacturers' plants for introduction into production.

The project offers new solutions for the body, chassis and powertrain areas. Using InCar innovations, auto OEMs can conserve resources, reduce costs or build cars with improved functions - depending on their particular development goals. At the same time the innovations have been validated to such an extent that they can be put into production quickly and at low cost.

Comprehensive ecological assessment

In view of the difficult situation currently faced by the auto industry, pressure is growing on manufacturers to make up lost ground with more eco-friendly and more cost-efficient vehicles with further improved functions. New legal requirements such as the average emissions limit of 130 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometer applying EU-wide to new cars from 2012 are a further challenge.

For climate protection, InCar offers innovations capable of reducing emissions by a total of more than 17 grams of CO2 per kilometer. However, CO2 is also generated during the production of cars and parts, the ecological assessment of the InCar solutions prepared by PE INTERNATIONAL covers the entire product lifecycle. The result: Taking the whole production and usage cycle into account, the "cleanest" InCar solutions together can reduce emissions by around 5,500 kilograms of CO2 per vehicle compared with the current state of the art.

Picture:  © ThyssenKrupp