Continental ‘Working Hard to Reduce CO2’

In the last five years, Continental, claims to have reduced CO2 emissions by more than 30 per cent per product tonne. “The current discussion in the European Union surrounding climate protection and the latest CO2 targets for the automotive industry underline the fact that, especially with our hybrid systems, we are offering forward-looking technology,” stresses Manfred Wennemer, chairman of the Continental Executive Board.

“A so called mild hybrid accounts for considerable fuel savings at relatively low additional cost. It also reduces CO2 emissions, without forcing compromises in terms of performance and driving pleasure,” elaborates Dr. Karl Thomas Neumann, Continental Executive Board member for the Automotive Systems division. “A full hybrid can achieve fuel economies of up to 40 per cent and correspondingly lower emissions. Continental is in close collaboration with car manufacturers developing products like these.”

The ContiEcoContact 3 tyre demonstrates this. According to the manufacturer, it can increase a car’s fuel efficiency by around 5 per cent. This translates into fuel savings of roughly 56 litres for an average car’s annual mileage and thus savings of around £45 at the pump and a 135-kg reduction in CO2 emissions. In developing new tyres, Continental will continue to rigorously pursue the goal of higher fuel efficiency.

Wennemer pointed to the fact that tyre pressure monitoring systems can already help to slash CO2 emissions in cars and commercial vehicles. “Combined with telematic systems, smart tyres will be able to do even more in the future. And Continental is excellently positioned in this regard,” says Wennemer.

Continental has also made significant developments in commercial vehicle tyres. With its latest tyre generation, Continental has been able to reduce rolling resistance and cutting costs for hauliers and making a valuable contribution to protecting the environment. Continental has also achieved CO2 optimisation with the new generation of Continental commercial vehicle engine control units. The units are designed to ensure compliance with impending lower emission limits, including EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) 2007, Japan 09, and Euro 6.