VW is OK with EU CO2 targets, proposes nuclear power
It has been said numerous times that German automakers are upset with European proposals which would limit CO2 output to around 120 grams per kilometer. Perhaps we shouldn't be lumping Volkswagen or its subsidiaries into that category. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of VW, has admitted that the VW brands, including luxury carmaker Audi, can achieve those low carbon standards. In fact, Winterkorn believes that the standards are achievable today, not by 2015 as proposals would require. Technologies which would allow the low carbon output are already being used. Direct injection and turbocharging are quickly becoming a staple of automakers like Volkswagen and Audi since those technologies allow the production of more power and the reduction of fuel consumption.
Another interesting tidbit from Winterkorn is that he believes that plug-in electric vehicles will become the fuel-saving technology of choice in the coming years. As you may be aware, Germany gets the vast majority of its power from coal, which is an extremely dirty process. For this reason, the VeeDub leader suggests that the country take a look at nuclear for its power needs.
[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Erik 6:38PM (6/16/2008)
Nuclear is going to start looking a lot greener pretty soon. I guess in Europe it's no big deal, but here in the US, the hippies and other well-meaning "no nuke" protesters did us no favors back in the 1970s and 80s. What did they get instead? Coal.
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why not the LS2LS7? 10:40PM (6/16/2008)
Lamborghini is owned by Audi, which makes it a VW-owned brand.
Lamborghini said "screw off" to CO2 talk a little bit back.
How does this fit with what VW said here?
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Chris M 11:01PM (6/16/2008)
Hmm, chalk up another carmaker joining the plug-in bandwagon, and moving away from the hydrogen hype...
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Dave 3:08AM (6/17/2008)
While the biggest source of Germany's electricity comes from coal, it doesn't not appear to be the "vast majority" as quoted in this article.
Germany already gets about a third of it's electricity from nuclear plants. Between 10-15% is renewable (wind/solar/geothermal). The rest (about 50-60%) is from coal or natural gas.
Germany has already shut down a large number of coal plants since the reunification of East/West Germany.
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Chris 6:12AM (6/17/2008)
Well down here in Georgia Georgia Power is trying to get two more reactors added to their nuclear site.
The problem they face is the problem the industry faces in the states. There are so many "green" groups that you cannot satisfy them all. Worse they all have the ability to lock up the company in the courts with their conflicting requirements.
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Jacob 7:35AM (6/17/2008)
Germany is actually on the path to shut down all nuclear plants, for a German to suggest a greater reliance on nuclear is a large break from the current feeling and will likely encounter a great deal of resistance.
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Nobody Special 11:06AM (6/17/2008)
I'm not necessarily convinced by the 'electric plug-in-car' concept, certainly not for long distance driving. Here in the states, the big issue after a while came from the disposal of nuclear fuel rod waste. Add to that the screw-up at Three-Mile Island due basically to negligence which shed light poorly on the industry at the time. Waste is a major issue and it has been suggested that methodoligies can be found to process the waste but everything is on hold.
The coal lobby is huge, but notice the ITER Fusion Generator project in France being built by a multi-national consortium; there has been speculation that Fusion has been put on hold while the fossil fuel companies exercise their influence.
(check out China's mega coal generation projects)
Nuclear would be fine as long as they can be run safely and the waste can be refined, re-used, or recycled in some way. Hydrogen is not the greatest thing since zippers or sliced bread - it's an infrastructure nightmare for one thing and who is going to pay for that? Time will tell, but whatever the preferred auto power is, it has to be done responsibly.
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Michael Hippenhammer 12:27AM (6/18/2008)
The best way to distribute hydrogen is by local production and a HUGE investment in wind power. Every hydrogen station will just have power lines going to them while they produce hydrogen 24/7. By investing in wind we will have a clean source of energy and a bunch of new jobs producing and installing and maintaining them. I have been trying to get the message out that if the oil companies are going to be taxed for the windfall profits then put that straight into wind generators that the oil companies own. It is a win win situation because we get the extra electricity we need for the future of electric cars and the oil companies still make profits for their share holders and the money will not get wasted in research and development on non proven technologies.
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