Volkswagen Takes Holistic Approach To E-Mobility With Launch For Ultra Low Carbon Car

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced further plans in its holistic approach to e-mobility at the Management Briefing Seminar, hosted by the Center for Automotive Research. Starting with the launch of the zero-tailpipe emissions 2015 e-Golf model, Volkswagen will invest in carbon reduction projects to offset emissions created from e-Golf production, distribution and up to approximately 36,000 miles of driving. Volkswagen also named SunPower as the official solar energy partner power provider. Through these innovative collaborations, Volkswagen will be one of the first high-volume manufacturers to deliver a truly holistic approach to ultra-low-carbon mobility. The 2015 e-Golf will go on sale later this year at participating dealerships in select states.

To help determine its carbon offset projects, Volkswagen is proud to announce it has teamed with 3Degrees, a renewable energy and carbon offset services provider. The partnership brings new meaning to the idea of an ultra-low carbon car. By investing in carbon reduction programs, Volkswagen will offset the e-Golf's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that result from its production, distribution and from the estimated emissions produced from keeping the vehicle charged through the initial 36,000 miles of the vehicle's life. Volkswagen of America chose to include carbon reduction efforts in California and in Texas with projects geared towards forestry conservation and landfill gas capture.

"Volkswagen feels it is important to look beyond the benefits of driving a vehicle without tailpipe emissions and to take a holistic approach to e-mobility," said Oliver Schmidt, general manager, Environment and Engineering Office, Volkswagen Group of America. "We now have the ability to offer offsets that approximate the emissions created from production, distribution and the initial 36,000 miles of use."

Volkswagen-supported projects include:

Garcia River Forestry Project
The Garcia River Conservation-Based Forest Management Project, located in Mendocino County, Calif., protects and preserves a 24,000-acre native redwood forest, increasing carbon sequestration and storage, while also helping to restore the natural wildlife habitat. Emission reductions produced by the project are verified by an approved third party and registered with the Climate Action Reserve. More information on the project can be found at: http://www.conservationfund.org/projects/garcia-river-forest/

Big River and Salmon Creek Forests
The Big River and Salmon Creek Forests, located in Mendocino County, Calif., were subject historically to land fragmentation and unsustainable logging practices. In an effort to protect the native redwood and Douglas fir forest, the land is now protected through a 16,000-acre land purchase, which was funded in part by the carbon offsets it offers to organizations like Volkswagen. Emission reductions produced by the project are verified by an approved third party and registered with the Climate Action Reserve. More information on the project can be found at: http://www.conservationfund.org/projects/big-river-and-salmon-creek-forests/

McKinney Landfill
The McKinney Landfill project, based at a closed landfill in McKinney, Texas, works to capture gases that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere from anaerobic decomposition within the landfill. Benefits from the capture include odor reduction, improved water quality and future distributed renewable energy production. The sale of carbon offsets supports the gas collection and flaring project. The emission reductions are validated, verified and registered using the Climate Action Reserve's Landfill Project Protocol.
More information on the project can be found at: http://www.3degreesinc.com/projects/carbon-offset-projects/mckinney

"Volkswagen is showing leadership by including carbon offsets standard with this e-Golf electric vehicle," said Steve McDougal, President of 3Degrees. "As more people choose low and no emission cars, Volkswagen is making it possible – and easy – to think comprehensively about the greenhouse gas emissions profile of a vehicle."

Providing Solar Energy Solutions, Partnering with SunPower

As part of Volkswagen's efforts to deliver an ultra-low-carbon car, the company is working with SunPower to provide qualified U.S. Volkswagen e-Golf customers the opportunity to install a high performance SunPower solar system. A residential SunPower system can help customers save on annual household electricity costs as well as power their electric vehicle, reducing overall cost of ownership.

Volkswagen Group of America is SunPower's first automotive partner whose customers will receive premier access to an energy storage solution from SunPower for a limited time once it becomes commercially available. Combining solar with energy storage will help provide homeowners peace-of-mind and opportunity to access back-up power during a power outage.

"Investing in a residential SunPower solar system is a reliable, cost-effective way for Volkswagen customers to help manage household electricity costs and charge their electric vehicle with emissions-free energy," said Tom Werner, president and CEO of SunPower. "Partnering with Volkswagen is a natural fit for SunPower, given our shared passion for delivering innovative, alternative energy solutions that help customers power their lives sustainably, and for the long term."

Charging Solutions

Volkswagen's holistic approach to e-mobility also extends to the ownership experience. The company recently announced that Bosch Automotive Service Solutions will serve as a charging station and installation services partner for the e-Golf. Bosch® will provide a 240-volt charging unit, the Power Max® charging station, as well as full-service installation for qualified e-Golf drivers.  The charging station and installation will be offered at highly competitive prices to e-Golf customers.

Additionally, Volkswagen has selected ChargePoint® to complete the owner experience by providing all authorized e-Golf dealerships with VW-branded charging stations and by giving e-Golf drivers access to the largest network of public EV charging stations. As a result, e-Golf drivers will have access to over 18,000 ChargePoint stations around the U.S., in addition to those stations installed at authorized VW dealerships. All e-Golf drivers will also get access to the ChargePoint mobile app, which will help them navigate to ChargePoint stations, see real-time status updates relating to ChargePoint stations and start charging sessions.

The 2015 e-Golf will go on sale later this year at participating dealerships in select US states and will bring zero-tailpipe emissions to the Golf family of vehicles.

About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWoA), is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. VWoA's operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Volkswagen Group is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. VWoA sells the Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan and Touareg vehicles through approximately 640 independent U.S. dealers.

About 3Degrees
3Degrees provides renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets to Fortune 500® companies, green building firms, and other organizations committed to sustainability. In addition, 3Degrees partners with utilities across the nation to offer customized green power options to approximately 25 million customers. A six-time winner of the DOE/EPA Green Power Supplier of the Year Award and certified B Corporation, 3Degrees is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with regional offices throughout the U.S. To learn more, visit 3degreesinc.com.

About SunPower
SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpower.com.

About Bosch
In the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket solutions, industrial drives and control technology, power tools, security and communication systems, packaging technology, thermotechnology, household appliances, healthcare telemedicine and software solutions. Having established a regional presence in 1906, Bosch employs 24,600 associates in more than 100 locations, with consolidated sales of $10.4 billion in 2013. For more information, visit www.boschusa.com, www.bosch.com.mx and www.bosch.ca.

SOURCE SunPower Corp.