Nieuwenhuis / Wells The Automotive Industry and the Environment

1. Auflage 2003
ISBN: 978-1-85573-860-7
Verlag: Elsevier Science & Techn.
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 272 Seiten

The automotive industry currently faces huge challenges. The fundamental technological paradigm it relies on, volume production, has become progressively more unprofitable in the face of increasingly segmented niche markets. At the same time it faces increasing regulatory and social pressures to improve both the sustainability of its products and methods of production. Building on a wealth of research, The automotive industry and the environment addresses those challenges and how they can be met in producing a sustainable and profitable industry for the future.The authors first discuss the development of the automotive industry and the problems it currently faces. They then consider the solutions the industry can adopt. The book reviews trends in more environmentally-friendly technologies such as the use of more sustainable fuel sources and new types of modular design with built-in recyclability. However, these technologies can only be fully exploited if methods of manufacture change. The book also describes models of decentralised production, particularly the micro factory retailing (MFR) model, which provide an alternative to volume production and promise to be both more sustainable and more profitable.The automotive industry and the environment provides both a cogent diagnosis of the environmental and other problems facing the industry and a blueprint for a better future. It will be widely welcomed by the industry, policy makers and all those concerned with sustainable transport. - Addresses the challenges facing the automotive industry, from the increasing unprofitability of volume production to regulatory and social pressures to improve environmental and product sustainability - Examines how the automotive industry can meet the current challenges in producing a sustainable and profitable industry for the future - Reviews trends in more environmentally-friendly technologies such as the use of more sustainable fuel sources and new types of modular design with built-in recyclability

Dr P. Nieuwenhuis works at the prestigious Centre for Automotive Industry Research (CAIR) at Cardiff University. Dr P. Nieuwenhuis many publications include Motor vehicles in the environment (1994) and The death of motoring? (1997).

Autoren/Hrsg.

Nieuwenhuis, P.

Wells, P.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Front Cover;1
2;The Automotive Industry and the Environment: A Technical, Business and Social Future;2
3;Copyright Page;3
4;Table fo Contents;4
5;Abbreviations and glossary;9
6;Chapter 1. Introduction;18
6.1;1.1 Background;18
6.2;1.2 Change and complexity - can business really afford to keep things simple?;19
6.3;1.3 Identifying the problem;21
6.4;1.4 Roots of the problem;23
6.5;1.5 The C02 issue - agenda for change;30
6.6;1.6 References;31
7;Chapter 2. The structure of the automotive industry;32
7.1;2.1 The automotive industry: a profile;32
7.2;2.2 The vehicle manufacturers;33
7.3;2.3 Material and component suppliers;39
7.4;2.4 Distribution and retailing;42
7.5;2.5 Financial performance, structure and the future;45
7.6;2.6 The direction of the industry: the case of Ford;46
7.7;2.7 Conclusions;49
7.8;2.8 References;49
8;Chapter 3. Markets and the demand for cars;51
8.1;3.1 Introduction;51
8.2;3.2 The structure of production and markets;52
8.3;3.3 Fragmentation;54
8.4;3.4 Brands and the market for alternative technology vehicles;58
8.5;3.5 Environment, technology and the creation of new market segments: the example of the THINK @bout London project;62
8.6;3.6 Conclusions;65
8.7;3.7 References;65
9;Chapter 4. From manufacturers to responsible mobility providers;67
9.1;4.1 Background;67
9.2;4.2 The EU ELV directive - forcing manufacturers to take a whole-life view;68
9.3;4.3 Selling the package: a wider view of costs;68
9.4;4.4 The car industry responds to the new agenda;72
9.5;4.5 Corporate social and environmental responsibility;75
9.6;4.6 Conclusions;77
9.7;4.7 References;77
10;Chapter 5. Sector shift, inter-sector dynamics and futures studies;79
10.1;5.1 Introduction: the question of sector shift;79
10.2;5.2 Futures and multi-discipline thinking;81
10.3;5.3 Sustainability and multi-discipline thinking;83
10.4;5.4 Management science, business strategy and the cult of the guru;84
10.5;5.5 The automotive industry: an illustration;85
10.6;5.6 Micro factory retailing: a futures studies vision of the automotive industry;86
10.7;5.7 Conclusions;87
10.8;5.8 References;87
11;Chapter 6. Powertrain and fuel;90
11.1;6.1 How petrol and diesel came to rule the world;90
11.2;6.2 The gaseous alternative;92
11.3;6.3 Liquefied petroleum gas vs. compressed natural gas;95
11.4;6.4 Dimethyl Ether (DME) and biodiesel: diesel's future?;96
11.5;6.5 Whatever happened to the electric car?;99
11.6;6.6 The Air Car - a green car at last?;101
11.7;6.7 References;103
12;Chapter 7. Fuel cells and the hydrogen economy;104
12.1;7.1 The car industry goes for the hard cell;104
12.2;7.2 The role of Ballard;106
12.3;7.3 Fuelling the cell;107
12.4;7.4 AUTOnomy - reinventing the chassis to fit the cell;111
12.5;7.5 A future for the cell?;114
12.6;7.6 References;115
13;Chapter 8. High volume car production: Budd and Ford;117
13.1;8.1 Introduction and background;117
13.2;8.2 History;118
13.3;8.3 Budd and Ford;123
13.4;8.4 ZIS: Budd goes East;124
13.5;8.5 Monocoque construction;124
13.6;8.6 Buddism fraying at the edges;127
13.7;8.7 Steel fights back;128
13.8;8.8 References;131
14;Chapter 9. Alternatives to high volume car production;133
14.1;9.1 Introduction;133
14.2;9.2 Alternative approaches to car production;134
14.3;9.3 Sports cars: niche vs. mainstream vehicle manufacturers;138
14.4;9.4 Examples of low volume car production;141
14.5;9.5 Conclusions;144
14.6;9.6 References;145
15;Chapter 10. Sustainability;146
15.1;10.1 The sustainability concept;146
15.2;10.2 An ethical and spiritual dimension;151
15.3;10.3 Nature and the closed-loop economy;154
15.4;10.4 References;156
16;Chapter 11. Sustainable mobility;158
16.1;11.1 Making cars sustainable: a blueprint;158
16.2;11.2 Product durability and scrappage incentives;160
16.3;11.3 New product niches;165
16.4;11.4 Closed-loop recycling;169
16.5;11.5 References;171
17;Chapter 12. Practical steps towards sustainability;173
17.1;12.1 Introduction;173
17.2;12.2 Alternative approaches to evaluating the environmental burden of cars;173
17.3;12.3 Official and unofficial vehicle emissions and fuel economy guides;177
17.4;12.4 The Volvo environmental product declaration (EPD);179
17.5;12.5 Vehicle assembly plant rating systems;180
17.6;12.6 Car environmental rating systems;181
17.7;12.7 Conclusion;189
17.8;12.8 References;189
18;Chapter 13. Automobility 2050 - the vision;191
18.1;13.1 Introduction;191
18.2;13.2 A sustainable world: the context for automobility 2050;193
18.3;13.3 Automobility 2050: making cars;196
18.4;13.4 Automobility 2050: the car itself;197
18.5;13.5 Automobility 2050: cars in use;198
18.6;13.6 Conclusions: a vision of the future;199
18.7;13.7 References;203
19;Chapter 14. The distributed economy;205
19.1;14.1 Introduction;205
19.2;14.2 Centralisation, economies of scale and globalisation;206
19.3;14.3 The distributed economy: an outline of basic ideas;210
19.4;14.4 The significance of scale and production;211
19.5;14.5 Conclusion;212
19.6;14.6 References;212
20;Chapter 15. The shape of the future;214
20.1;15.1 Introduction;214
20.2;15.2 Alternative 1: the traditional assembly plant;215
20.3;15.3 Alternative 2: the modular assembly plant;217
20.4;15.4 Alternative 3: the global production network;218
20.5;15.5 Alternative 4: the eco-park;222
20.6;15.6 Alternative 5: decentralised manufacturing;223
20.7;15.7 Different shapes to the automotive industry;224
20.8;15.8 Conclusions;228
20.9;15.9 References;228
21;Chapter 16. The roadmap;229
21.1;16.1 Roadmaps;230
21.2;16.2 The sustainable automobility roadmap: basic principles;232
21.3;16.3 The Bellagio Principles - a known agenda;237
21.4;16.4 The mechanics of change;239
21.5;16.5 Strategic niche management (SNM);241
21.6;16.6 Conclusions;242
21.7;16.7 References;242
22;Chapter 17. Micro factory retailing;244
22.1;17.1 Introduction;244
22.2;17.2 Micro factory retailing: a delineation of the basic idea;245
22.3;17.3 Barriers and opportunities for micro factory retailing;249
22.4;17.4 Case study: the Air Car;250
22.5;17.5 Conclusions;252
22.6;17.6 References;253
23;Chapter 18. Conclusions and implications;254
23.1;18.1 Summary;254
23.2;18.2 Our future;256
23.3;18.3 The UK - a special case?;258
23.4;18.4 Conclusions;260
23.5;18.5 References;261
24;Index;262

Leseproben

Abbreviations and glossary
ABS brakes anti-lock braking system which prevents the wheels from locking up under severe braking, thus retains the tyres’ grip on the road for enhanced safety. The term comes from the German ‘Anti-Blockier System’ ACEA Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles – the representative body of EU vehicle manufacturers, based in Brussels biodiesel a diesel fuel alternative made of organic matter such as rapeseed oil Buddism the system whereby the core technology of the car industry is centred on the innovations of E G Budd, who pioneered the all-steel welded body CAIR Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff University, Wales, UK car-sharing schemes increasingly popular arrangements, whereby people forgo car ownership in return for membership of a club that runs cars for its members to use for a fee as and when required CARB California Air Resources Board – body responsible for monitoring air quality in the State of California and for proposing regulations to improve it CEO Chief Executive Officer – the top manager in a business CKD completely knocked down – the term for a kit of parts that can be assembled into a complete car at a location other than the originating factory. This is commonly used to assemble cars in markets where a complete car factory would not be viable. A variant is SKD (semi-knocked down), which is a kit closer to completion, thus requiring less assembly input, aimed at even less sophisticated markets CNG compressed natural gas – a popular alternative fuel coachbuilt a coachbuilt car body uses the traditional technique of metal panels on a wooden frame; a technology replaced by Buddism, but which is still used by car manufacturers such as Morgan CO carbon monoxide – a gas that occurs in vehicle exhausts as a result of the incomplete combustion of petrol or diesel. It is eventually oxidised into CO2 (carbon dioxide), but until then is highly toxic CO2 carbon dioxide – a harmless gas produced by humans and animals and other natural processes, which is associated with control of the Earth’s climate. Too much being produced leads to global warming CSR corporate social responsibility – a concept whereby a company looks beyond making money to its wider role in society CVT continuously variable transmission – an arrangement whereby the transmission that links a car’s engine to the wheels is achieved not by means of fixed steps, but by a continuously changing range of ratios. This is normally achieved through a belt driving over pulleys of variable diameter. In automated form the system was pioneered by the Dutch Daf company in 1958. The key technologies are controlled by German suppliers Bosch (who own the Dutch manufacturer of the belts) and ZF. An alternative is the IVT (infinitely variable transmission) developed by Torotrak in the UK die(-set) the very large and heavy tools used in a press to form metal blanks’ into pressed panels for assembly by means of welding into a modern mass-produced car body DME Dimethyl Ether, an alternative fuel that replaces diesel EC European Commission ELV end-of-life vehicle – a vehicle that is no longer wanted and has therefore become hazardous waste and subject to the EU ELV Directive EPA US Environmental Protection Agency (Volvo) EPD Volvo’s Environmental Product Declaration system, which provides a listing of the environmental impacts of each model in the Volvo range – an industry first EU the European Union FDI Foreign Direct Investment – when a company spends a large amount of money to build a facility in another country FEV fuel cell electric vehicle Fordism a set of practices, particularly in terms of work and process organisation, which were introduced by Ford and have become associated with mass production in general FP6 the EU’s Framework Programme 6 for organising EU-funded research fuel cell a chemical device that generates electricity as a by-product of a chemical reaction FV Foresight Vehicle – a UK government-and industry-supported research programme aimed at preparing the UK automotive sector for a competitive future GHG greenhouse gas emissions GM General Motors Corporation GRP glass-fibre reinforced plastic – a thermoset composite material using thin strands of glass for reinforcement encased in a synthetic resin. It can be moulded in very cheap and simple moulds HC hydrocarbons – in the context of vehicle emissions this refers to various hydrocarbon constituents of petrol or diesel that leave the engine without being burnt. Many of these are toxic HPV human-powered vehicle; a bicycle or tricycle not officially sanctioned by the international cycling union (UCI) and thus unable to participate in its events. The human-powered world speed record is held by an HPV and not by a conventional bicycle, as HPVs tend to be more efficient, particularly in terms of aerodynamics HEV hybrid-electric vehicle – a vehicle that uses an engine of some sort to generate electricity, which is then used to drive the wheels via electric motors IC engine internal combustion engine, the current mainstream car engine technology most commonly powered by petrol or diesel ICDP International Car Distribution Programme – an international collaborative research programme into the future of car retail and distribution ICE in-car entertainment; the various technologies used in a car for entertainment and information such as radio, CD player, TV and DVD JAMA Japan Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (Nihon Jidosha Kogyo Kai), the Japanese vehicle producers’ representative body, based in Tokyo KAMA Korean Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, the Korean vehicle producers’ representative body, based in Seoul Kit car a car supplied in the form of a set of parts, to be built up by the buyer, who often has to add key components from an existing mainstream car for completion LCA life cycle analysis – a technique which tries to assess the environmental impact of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, including raw material extraction, production, use and end-of-life processing LNG liquefied natural gas – a means of keeping and handling natural gas by liquefaction, which makes it more compact. It is used to some extent as a vehicle fuel LPG liquefied or liquid petroleum gas – a popular alternative vehicle fuel normally produced as a by-product of the oil refining process MCC Micro Compact Car – the DaimlerChrysler company that makes the Smart city car MFR micro factory retailing – an alternative car production and distribution model that features a dispersed network of small local facilities that assemble, sell and service cars Modularisation a trend whereby suppliers to the car industry are expected to supply larger and larger sub-assemblies, called ‘modules’, which are then assembled by the car manufacturer. This reduces the complexity of the final assembly process for the vehicle manufacturer monocoque or unibody a means of building cars that integrates the body and chassis into a single steel box, to which all other components are attached. This was largely made possible by the introduction of Budd’s all-steel body technology MPV multi-purpose vehicle, or people carrier NELV natural ELV – a car that reaches the end of its life by needing repairs that exceed the value of the car, as opposed to a car that is written off in an accident, which would be a premature ELV (PELV) NGO non-government organisation – these are organisations that are not linked to government: they include consumer organisations, environmental pressure groups and other campaigning groups niche a small part of the market, smaller than a market segment, often discovered by the introduction of a new product...