Products and production initiatives for a carbon neutral society

~Reducing CO2 production emissions to half by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 ~

Mar.31, 2022

Products and production initiatives for a carbon neutral society

Carbon neutrality (CN) means a state of net zero emissions of greenhouse gases, including CO2.

Realizing a carbon neutral society is a global goal. To meet this urgent milestone, high expectations are placed on the automobile industry which, among others, is responsible for large amounts of CO2 emissions.

Aisin has been making Group-wide efforts to reduce the environmental impact throughout the life cycle of products, from the procurement of raw materials to the production, use and disposal of products.

Aisin will accelerate its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through initiatives in terms of both products and production in order to create a society where everyone can live with peace of mind in harmony with nature.

Carbon neutrality of “production”

Manufacturing is the key strength of Aisin, and to best minimize our impact on the environment we will significantly reduce CO2 emissions by incorporating energy-saving technologies and hydrogen and CN fuels into our manufacturing processes.

We will also contribute to the reuse and spread of energy and resources within the local community by promoting the recycling of materials and waste and facilitating activities for carbon neutrality.

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As part of these efforts, we are actively working on the development of environmental technologies. With an eye toward the utilization of renewable energy, we are developing lightweight solar cells under collaboration between industry, academia and government. These solar cells feature lightweight design and significantly reduced environment impact at the time of manufacturing.

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For the reuse of CO2, we are utilizing the technology used to make calcium carbonate by injecting CO2 contained in exhaust gas into amino acid solution derived from a calcium source contained in industrial by-products generated during the process of steelmaking. The purified calcium carbonate can be reused in concrete, a common material for construction and engineering work. We will contribute to promoting the recycling and reuse of carbon and industry by-products.

Our company-wide challenge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 | AI Think - Learning Aisin’s Now and Future

Carbon neutrality of “products”

Needs and preferences for automotive electrification vary globally depending on the various region’s different energy situations and policies,  and among  different automobile manufacturers and consumers. Aisin will contribute to reducing CO2 emissions by promoting the use of electric vehicles. We strive to offer drive units for all types of vehicles—including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)— by utilizing the knowledge and technologies we have cultivated in the powertrain business.
   In particular, eAxle, an electric power unit that is seen as the heart of BEVs and FCEVs, is one of our most important strategic products. We will continue to introduce products that feature overwhelmingly high efficiency and compact size into the market.

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Aisin eAxle evolves in pursuit of high efficiency and downsizing

In addition, we will conceptualize products that help achieve carbon neutrality in terms of the vehicle as a whole. By taking full advantage of our strength of having a wide range of products, we can provide entire systems for vehicles, including regenerative braking systems, thermal management systems, and aerodynamic control systems.
   Aisin will reduce the total energy consumption of a vehicle (equivalent to the power consumption ratio or fuel efficiency of gas-powered vehicles) by 10% or more by 2025.

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In this report, we provided an overview of Aisin’s initiative to achieve carbon neutrality. Next time, we will report on Aisin’s initiatives in terms of both “production” and “products.”