BMW Brilliance leads car industry in sustainability

The production line of the Tiexi Plant adopts a green concept in design and management. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Ecological construction and careful consideration of resource management keep factories green

A major contributor to China's sustainability in the auto market, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd is looking to protect the local environment and control emissions by adopting greener technology, said senior executives of the company.

"We provide products with minimal impact on the environment and we produce in a responsible way," said Johann Wieland, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance.

Johann Wieland, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"We have maintained our efforts to be transparent about management approaches and practices of sustainability for three consecutive years," he said.

The premium carmaker released its sustainable development report in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Tuesday, in which it said Corporate Average Fuel Consumption has been reduced to 6.95 liters per 100 kilometers last year, 1.6 percent less than the 7.06-liter rate in 2014.

The consumption achievement rate was the best among all local carmakers checked by Chinese government bodies. BBA took the pole position in the national rankings of the Corporate Average Fuel Consumption achievement rate for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015.

The Sino-German joint venture achieved an energy consumption of 1.66 MWh per unit produced in 2015, according to the report.

BMW executives and stakeholders enjoy a day at the 2016 BMW Sustainability and CSR Forum in Shenyang, Liaoning province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Shi Jianhua, deputy secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, said that BMW Brilliance's high-standard and transparent sustainability report discloses the company's performance in operational management, product responsibility, environmental protection, supply chain management, talent cultivation and corporate social responsibility strategies.

Green production

Applying the world's strictest GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines standards, BBA is setting a good example for the auto sector.

"As a part of the China community, BMW Brilliance leverages its top-tier technology to increase energy efficiency and decrease emissions throughout our entire value chain.

"And we see sustainability as the key to our continued success, our contribution to China's sustainable development," said Wieland.

The company has beefed up its green production through innovative technologies in its local plants, especially the main office building of the Tiexi Plant and the new engine plant that started production in January.

Viewed as a vital part of sustainable production in China, the Tiexi Plant is designed as an eco-friendly plant, fully utilizing resources and minimizing waste and emissions.

Last year, the main office building of the plant was awarded gold-level status by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification program also known as LEED, which recognizes best-inclass building strategies and practices.

The BMW's newest X1 PHEV model. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The building is saving energy throughout its life cycle through its design, following the concepts of ecological building and energy conservation, incorporating water efficiency, energy and atmosphere optimization, resources and materials management, and its high-quality indoor environment.

Robert Engelhorn, senior vice-president of technology and production at the company, said that the Tiexi Plant has reduced water usage by 30 percent, energy usage by 40 percent and emissions by 20 percent.

He added that the noise level has dropped from 92 dB to 80 dB, and 90 percent of the facilities' water is recycled.

The new engine plant, another green production benchmark for BMW Group, was also built using the latest clean technologies. All the plant's heat is collected and used for winter heating and energy conservation.

The foundry at the new engine plant is the first in China to use an environmentally-friendly watersoluble inorganic binder, resulting in almost zero emissions during the binding process.

It boasts the world's most advanced smelter, which can reduce energy consumption by 20 percent, and 90 percent of the used sand can be recycled for the sand core process, recycling 30 tons of sand per day.

New energy vehicles

By reducing carbon dioxide emissions from vehicle fleet, BMW Brilliance strives to be a leader in taking a holistic approach to premium electric mobility.

"We are fully committed to contributing to new energy vehicles development in China. One of the fundamental solutions we provide is the production of new energy vehicles," said Wieland.

BMW Brilliance is the first premium joint venture to establish a new brand and launched the first premium e-drive sport activity vehicle, model Zinoro 1E, in 2013. The second model, Zinoro 60H, was introduced in 2016.

The automaker is also the first to make a plug-in-hybrid premium business sedan, the BMW 530Le.

The newest in BMW's new energy vehicles line is the BMW X1 plug-in-hybrid, expected to reach the market early next year. It has an e-range of 60 kilometers, and uses only 1.8 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers.

Thanks to BBA's new energy vehicles products, a local Chinese battery maker, CATL, is now a major player in the industry internationally.

"We proudly offer more and more electrically-powered vehicles, as well as innovative mobility services in China, which makes us a pioneer and leader in this industry," Wieland added.

As a result of its efforts and the trend toward smaller engines, BBA was able to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of its new vehicles in China to 165.4 g/km as of 2015.

BMW Group tops this year's Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the world's most sustainable automotive company. All members of the BMW family are working toward a sustainable future globally.