1. Eco-Friendly Materials and Lightweight Design
- Application of Green Materials: Automakers are actively promoting the use of biodegradable materials, eco-friendly plastics, and lightweight materials (e.g., aluminum alloys, carbon fiber) to reduce plastic waste pollution and improve vehicle energy efficiency. For example, companies like Geely and BAIC are vigorously developing and adopting low-carbon materials to reduce carbon emissions per vehicle.
- Lightweight Design: By optimizing vehicle structure and adopting lightweight materials, automakers reduce vehicle weight, thereby lowering fuel consumption and carbon emissions. For instance, BAIC-affiliated Langfang Leoni replaced copper wiring with aluminum for automotive wire harnesses, reducing total weight by approximately 50%.
2. Intelligent Energy Management Systems
These systems enable precise control of energy usage, minimize waste, and reduce carbon emissions. For example, Xiaomi Auto Plant utilizes gas-to-gas heat exchange equipment in its painting workshop to recycle high-temperature exhaust gases from RTO incineration, significantly improving energy efficiency.
3. High-Efficiency Painting Processes
- Water-Based Eco-Friendly Coatings: Replacing traditional solvent-based coatings with water-based alternatives drastically reduces VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions. Over 80% of coatings used in Xiaomi Auto Plant’s painting processes are water-based, with VOC levels far below those of traditional coatings.
- Advanced Painting Technologies: For example, dry filter booth systems replace wet scrubbing chambers, reducing wastewater generation and improving exhaust treatment efficiency. Xiaomi’s plant achieves 99% exhaust treatment efficiency and zero heavy metal discharge in wastewater.
4. Green Factory Construction
- Renewable Energy Integration: Factories are adopting solar and wind energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Geely’s Xi’an Plant, for instance, uses a 52 MW solar power station that generates 47.5 million kWh annually, reducing CO2 emissions by 27,000 tons per year.
- Water Recycling Systems: Geely’s Xi’an Plant has reduced water consumption per vehicle to 1.6 cubic meters through recycling, well below industry averages.
5. Green Supply Chain Management
Automakers like Geely are establishing sustainable supply chain systems to promote green practices in material sourcing and production. In 2022, Geely developed 13 low-carbon materials and plans to use recycled materials in 25 future vehicle models.
6. Intelligent Manufacturing
- High Automation: Robotics and automated production lines improve efficiency and precision while reducing energy waste and pollution. Xiaomi Auto Plant employs over 700 robots, achieving 100% automation in key processes like die-casting, stamping, and body assembly.
7. Green Design and R&D
- Green Design Platforms: Companies like Zhejiang Tianneng Power Energy use green design evaluation platforms to assess and improve product sustainability across their lifecycle. Their energy consumption per unit product meets Tier 1 standards in industry clean production evaluations.
The adoption of green manufacturing technologies not only reduces energy consumption and emissions but also enhances product efficiency and environmental performance, driving the automotive industry toward sustainable transformation.
