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The challenges of VW’s biofuel R&D Center

They go from the ethanol polymeric fuel cell to actions encouraging local use of the alternative fuel

By Alzira Rodrigues | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

The Way To Zero Center was inaugurated last Monday, 11/21, at Volkswagen’s plant in São Bernardo do Campo, SP, with the mission to become the world’s center of the group for biofuels research.

An important part of the company’s decarbonization project, aiming for carbon neutralization by 2050, the new center counts on 17 partnerships, with ten universities and seven companies. The objective is to develop projects for Latin America’s markets, India, Asia and Africa. In Brazil, especially, it aims to show the customers the benefits of using ethanol for decarbonization.

In the inauguration event, Roger Guilherme, product engineering manager responsible for the Way To Zero Center, said that considering all emissions well-to-wheel, the Brazilian flex-fuel car fueled with ethanol gest better results than 100% electric vehicles ridding in Europe due to the energy matrix there, which depends heavily on the coal industry.

The challenge is to show this to the Brazilian consumer, a reason for Volkswagen to develop conscientization action about giving preference to ethanol. The company’s executives mentioned that the VW Play, the brand’s vehicles multimedia central, already includes a calculator showing fuel prices that calculates CO2 emissions.

“Decarbonization is one of the most important pillars of the global Volkswagen strategy, and the company aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050. To have the Way to Zero Center in South America is a reason for much satisfaction and a great challenge”, said Alexander Seitz, the company’s executive chairman in the region.

According to the executive, the Way To Zero Center team will focus on where local technologies contributing to reducing CO2 can be used.

Ciro Possobom, Volkswagen do Brasil’s COO and Finance and IT Strategy vice-president for the South American region, commented that the objective is to become a key partner of the Volkswagen Group for strategies and sustainable projects in emerging markets “through knowledge generation, management and interchange of low-carbon technologies and aspects related to sustainability”.

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Alzira Rodrigues

Jornalista formada pela Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, iniciou a cobertura do setor automotivo em 1981 na Sucursal do ABC de O Estado de S. Paulo. Manteve-se na área desde então, passando por outros jornais e também revistas e sites.

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