Carbon Footprint Assessment + Sustainability Design: A2MAC1 Tackles the Challenge of Automotive Carbon Emissions

“In the past, vehicle performance and cost were the top priorities, but now reducing the carbon footprint—driven by various regulations—has become an essential requirement for automakers,” said Arno Zinke, A2MAC1’s Chief Technology and Product Officer, at the 2023 World New Energy Vehicle Conference.

Indeed, to reduce the carbon footprint of gasoline-powered vehicles, a global wave of electrification has been sweeping across the world. Today, electric vehicles are also increasingly becoming the focus of carbon-footprint regulations imposed by governments worldwide. To objectively measure the carbon footprints of vehicles on the market and identify ways to cut emissions throughout the supply chain, there is an urgent need for a unified and transparent method of carbon-footprint assessment. Moreover, once these assessments are completed, how to further minimize the CO₂ emissions from automobiles has emerged as a critical new challenge that the global automotive industry must address.
In recent years, Europe has introduced several regulations one after another to accelerate the achievement of its 2050 carbon-neutral goal. As transportation—particularly automobiles—is a major source of carbon emissions, it naturally has become a key area of focus. To reduce vehicle-related carbon emissions, the European Council approved in March of this year a regulation banning the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered cars and light commercial vehicles starting from 2035, as these models are responsible for significant carbon output. Meanwhile, France has implemented new rules linking electric vehicle subsidies directly to the carbon footprint of each vehicle. Meanwhile, the EU announced that it will officially launch the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) by 2026, marking the beginning of its carbon tariffs. Additionally, the EU has mandated that, starting in 2027, all exported power batteries destined for Europe must come with a compliant "Battery Passport," which meticulously records critical information such as the battery’s manufacturer, material composition, carbon footprint, and supply chain details.

Under a variety of stringent regulations, accurately calculating and assessing the carbon footprint of vehicles has become critically important—after all, determining the carbon footprint is the first step toward reducing carbon emissions. So the question arises: How can we employ a unified and transparent methodology to test and evaluate vehicle carbon footprints? As the automotive industry's first benchmarking analysis company, A2MAC1 has leveraged its years of expertise in benchmarking to also advance the testing and evaluation of vehicle carbon emissions. By conducting detailed component scans and analyzing parts based on raw materials, production rhythms, manufacturing processes, and annual output volumes, A2MAC1 not only helps automakers identify opportunities for design optimization, performance enhancement, and cost reduction—but also enables a comprehensive assessment of the vehicle’s entire lifecycle carbon footprint. At the 2023 World New Energy Vehicle Conference, Arno Zinke demonstrated a carbon emission analysis conducted after dismantling both the Volkswagen ID.3 and the Tesla Model S Plaid (Configuration | Inquiry).
Take the Volkswagen ID.3 as an example: its dashboard cross-car beam uses a total of 7.3 kg of welded steel, whereas the Tesla Model S Plaid features stamped steel combined with aluminum supports, produced via a wrap-molding process—and weighs only 4.4 kg. Although the manufacturing process for this approach is more complex, A2MAC1 calculations show that, thanks to superior material properties and reduced process-related wear, Tesla vehicles actually have a lower overall carbon footprint.

Additionally, A2MAC1's analysis revealed that the air deflectors in Tesla's Model S improved the vehicle's energy efficiency by reducing the drag coefficient—by 0.003, which translated to an increased range of 1.5 kilometers without changing the battery capacity. Alternatively, when achieving the same driving range, the system helped save 255 Wh of energy. As a result, the cost of each vehicle’s battery was reduced by $23, while also cutting CO2 emissions by 53 kilograms. "This demonstrates that even seemingly minor details can have significant impacts," said Arno Zinke.

At the meeting, A2MAC1 also presented a demonstration analyzing carbon dioxide emissions from electric vehicles of several major Chinese automakers, with specific data shown in the chart below.

As shown in the chart above, electric vehicle carbon emissions range from 10 to 30 tons, primarily depending on vehicle size. For example, small electric vehicles like the Wuling Hongguang Mini and the Geely Panda Mini have relatively low carbon emissions. In addition to vehicle size and type, A2MAC1's additional analysis shows that electric vehicle emissions are closely linked to factors such as battery capacity and supply chain localization, offering opportunities for automakers to reduce electric vehicle carbon emissions. Tracking and assessing carbon footprints and generating these data insights are typically slow and cumbersome. A2MAC1 is committed to automating and integrating workflows to enable rapid iteration, scenario exploration, and cross-team collaboration. A recent example is A2MAC1's new cost accounting and sustainability solution, based on its knowledge base.

Using state-of-the-art technology modules and models, this solution supports various manufacturing processes, such as automatically calculating costs and CO2 footprints. It can be applied to both complete vehicles and components, significantly reducing turnaround time and ensuring repeatable and consistent results. Using A2MAC1's technology, companies can not only quickly and comprehensively understand the carbon emissions of their own vehicles and components, but also benchmark against competitors, gaining a better understanding of their strengths and avoiding weaknesses, laying a crucial foundation for implementing subsequent emissions reduction measures.

Automotive design is a crucial and crucial step in the automotive industry. Incorporating sustainability concepts into the design phase is crucial to the future success of a sustainable automotive industry. Leveraging decades of experience and extensive databases in automotive benchmarking analysis, as well as the resulting services and assessment platform, A2MAC1 will assist automakers in both carbon footprint measurement and reduction. At this year's World New Energy Vehicle Congress, Arno Zinke also discussed best practices for designing more sustainable vehicles, citing the evolution of the battery pack from the Zeekr 001 to the Zeekr 009 as an example. As shown in the figure, the packaging strategy used for the 100 kWh battery of Zeekr 001 is standardized module battery pack (CTM) technology, while the 140 kWh battery pack of Zeekr 009 uses CTP technology. Compared with CTM, it reduces or eliminates the space occupied by the battery module and reduces the battery packaging cost by 16%.

“As shown by the A2MAC1 analysis, design changes can enhance performance while maintaining the same external dimensions—and even reduce costs—enabling OEMs to develop superior products more quickly and with greater confidence,” said Arno Zinke. In fact, the sustainable design of automobiles is influenced by a variety of factors. One key aspect is the technological side, such as virtual products and digital twins, which allow for simulations of real-world environments. This approach enables testing multiple concepts and solutions in a virtual setting, ultimately leading to product optimization. Additionally, the application of AIGC on benchmarking platforms empowers customers to receive real-time feedback, facilitating even faster product refinement.
Secondly, it involves incorporating the recycling and reuse of automotive materials into the design phase from the outset. From vehicle research and development, raw material utilization, manufacturing, to end-of-life processes, automakers must carefully consider how cars can be repurposed and recycled after they’re scrapped—ultimately minimizing carbon emissions throughout the vehicle’s entire lifecycle. Moreover, by fostering seamless collaboration across diverse engineering disciplines and leveraging synergies in workflow optimization, interconnected digital platforms can also deliver comprehensive, data-driven insights for achieving sustainable development goals. As Arno Zinke notes, designing sustainability into vehicles is such a complex and ambitious undertaking that automakers alone may struggle to fully dedicate themselves to it. However, A2MAC1 is committed to supporting manufacturers every step of the way, offering the CSS solution—a powerful tool paired with a centralized database and more than 50 specialized counting modules and models—to help users accurately assess costs and optimize their sustainability strategies effectively.
Taking Ford F-150’s cross-car beam as an example, Arno Zinke showcased at the World New Energy Conference how the use of recycled materials and the supply chain impact automotive carbon emissions. On the left side of the image below are the carbon emissions generated from manufacturing the dashboard cross-beam using magnesium in Mexico, while the middle section illustrates the significant reduction—up to 27% in CO₂ emissions—achieved by switching to 40% recycled magnesium. Furthermore, integrating procurement with domestic U.S. production not only enables greener manufacturing processes but also promotes the reuse of raw materials.

It is clear that by adopting sustainable materials, designs, and technologies, automakers can reduce resource consumption, minimize environmental pollution, and cut waste generation right from the start. Sustainable development in the automotive industry of the future is a global challenge, and achieving this goal will require collaborative efforts across all sectors to build a connected ecosystem. "Competition isn’t the answer to every issue," Arno Zinke noted. "Instead, different teams must focus on tackling the right problems—and through effective collaboration, they can transform sustainability from a cost factor into a key competitive advantage. To make this interconnected ecosystem a reality, the automotive industry needs to optimize its entire system, integrating all relevant metrics for seamless coordination, while also gaining a 360-degree understanding of the competitive landscape. Only then can companies stand out in today’s fiercely competitive market."

To this end, A2MAC1 provides a platform that connects traditionally siloed industries across the various stages of the manufacturing lifecycle, helping its customers create the world’s most cost-effective and environmentally friendly vehicles. At the event, Arno Zinke stated: "New carbon emission policies and regulations pose significant challenges to the development of next-generation automotive technologies, but our future depends on whether we’re willing to embrace these challenges—and tackle them head-on by adopting a comprehensive approach to optimizing product development, thereby mitigating environmental impacts." (This article is from Gasgoo.)

Translated from Sina Auto
 

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