More sustainable filtration: Our key to cleaner mobility for the future

Today’s automotive industry faces enormous challenges. Ever-increasing sustainability demands from both consumers and governments collide with the need for economic efficiency. Despite the growing prevalence of more sustainable electric vehicles, the contribution of internal combustion engines remains important and necessary for achieving the target of climate neutrality by 2050. At MANN+HUMMEL, we see this as a great opportunity for innovation and new business models. Our market-leading filtration technology plays a key role in the transition to a circular economy within the automotive industry. It contributes significantly to making new and existing vehicles more environmentally friendly and to substantially reducing the ecological footprint of automotive production – for a more sustainable mobility and a cleaner planet.

We view filtration as the fourth dimension of sustainability and are continually developing more environmentally friendly solutions for cleaner mobility. Our efforts have been widely recognized: For our commitment to sustainability, we have been awarded a Gold Medal by EcoVadis for the fourth time consecutive year. As a member of the UN Global Compact, we also publish an annual sustainability report that transparently documents the progress of our sustainable transformation.

The Paris Agreement on climate change from 2015 serves as the foundation for all subsequent sustainability initiatives. The goal: All signatories, including all industrialized nations, commit to becoming climate-neutral by 2050. The transportation sector, which accounts for approximately 25 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, bears immense responsibility if this target is to be achieved.

In recent years, the European Union has also introduced additional regulations and standards for the automotive industry to promote sustainability in transportation. In this context, the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Directive plays a crucial role. This directive aims to significantly improve automobile recycling and the recovery of vehicles.

Improving sustainability in the automotive industry is complicated by several pressing issues:

• High dependence on petroleum
• CO₂ emissions in vehicle production and operation
• Integration of sustainable practices across the entire value chain, particularly regarding data collection and data exchange
• The need to adapt to new regulations
• Consumer enthusiasm for new methods and products

However, at the same time, significant opportunities are also created:

• Increased competitiveness through sustainable innovations
• Economic potential from the large number of internal combustion vehicles and mandated service intervals
• Enhancement of brand image and customer satisfaction
• Contribution to the materials’ life cycle and CO₂ reduction
• Conservation of scarce resources such as lithium, cobalt, aluminum, and steel

To achieve sustainability goals in the automotive industry, companies can adopt a variety of different strategies:

One important approach is to reduce the ecological footprint in car manufacturing. This includes:

• Eco-design: Developing products that are fully designed for sustainability from the outset
• Avoiding composite materials to facilitate recycling
• Utilizing renewable energy in production
• Using resource-efficient, renewable materials
• Implementing environmentally friendly packaging with a high recycling content

By properly implementing these strategies, companies can effectively carry out vehicle recycling, thereby enabling the recovery of valuable raw materials and significantly reducing the demand for primary materials.

Sustainability in the supply chain of the automotive industry is another important aspect. Automakers can work closely with suppliers such as MANN+HUMMEL to:

• Improve the environmental footprint of the entire value chain
• Implement standards for sustainable procurement
• Collect and exchange valid and reliable data that provides transparency about the origin of products and allows for assessments of the effectiveness of sustainable materials and manufacturing processes

Our filtration solutions play a crucial role in improving the sustainability of both new and existing vehicles, particularly those with internal combustion engines. They help reduce the CO₂ footprint while simultaneously enhancing efficiency. MANN+HUMMEL develops more sustainable automotive filters that achieve up to 30 percent lower CO₂ emissions and 35 percent less petroleum consumption in production — while maintaining consistently high performance.

Here’s an overview of some of our selected filtration solutions and their benefits:

• Oil filters: Ensure optimal engine lubrication for low-emission operation and are often made from recyclable metallic fractions.
• Fuel filters: Enable highly efficient engine operation, thereby reducing harmful emissions.
• Air filters: Protect the engine from contaminants and optimize combustion.
• Cabin air filters: Improve air quality inside the vehicle, which is especially important for allergy sufferers.