Solutions to the challenges of our time
There is a great need for action. The global transportation system is still based on fossil fuels – gasoline, diesel, and kerosene – to about 90 percent. The result is massive CO₂ emissions – about nine billion metric tons of CO₂ equivalents per year, with road traffic alone accounting for roughly 70 percent of that. This calls for a fundamental transformation: in propulsion systems, infrastructure, and the materials used.
This brings resource consumption and the circular economy more into focus. While electric vehicles significantly reduce emissions during operation, about 30 percent of their life-cycle emissions are generated during manufacturing and material production. Today, only 3 percent of the plastics used in new vehicles come from recycled sources. Choosing the right materials thus becomes a climate factor in its own right.
Safer, more efficient, more personalized
But mobility must not only become more environmentally friendly – it must also become safer and more efficient. Traffic accidents claim more than one million lives worldwide each year, in most cases due to human error. Autonomous and connected driving can make a decisive contribution here. In addition, noise and air pollution take a toll on the health of many people. And traffic jams cost time and money: In megacities, commuters lose more than 100 hours a year in traffic jams, resulting in significant losses in productivity.
At the same time, expectations for the vehicle itself are rising: It is increasingly becoming a living and working space – with connected services, integrated displays, and customizable interiors.
Mobility as a connected system
After all, the demands placed on mobility as a system are also changing: People expect flexible, multimodal options – around the clock and across various modes of transportation. Public transit, micromobility, and sharing concepts must be better integrated. Furthermore, urban air mobility – including air taxis, cargo drones, and autonomous aircraft – opens up a new dimension of urban mobility. And in freight transport, geopolitical crises and extreme weather events are increasing the pressure to make supply chains more resilient and lower-emission, both on the road and at sea.
The challenges of mobility can only be overcome through technological innovations and close collaboration across the entire value chain. Covestro is contributing to this effort – with material solutions for climate-neutral powertrains and the circular economy, for safe and intelligent driving, and for efficient and resilient transportation systems.
Making mobility climate-neutral and circular
The transformation of mobility begins with the materials used. Lightweight materials reduce weight and fuel consumption; high-performance materials make electric vehicles safer and more efficient; and high-quality recycling solutions keep valuable raw materials in the circular economy.
This brings resource consumption and the circular economy more into focus. While electric vehicles significantly reduce emissions during operation, about 30 percent of their life-cycle emissions are generated during manufacturing and material production. Today, only 3 percent of the plastics used in new vehicles come from recycled sources. Choosing the right materials thus becomes a climate factor in its own right.
Safer, more efficient, more personalized
But mobility must not only become more environmentally friendly – it must also become safer and more efficient. Traffic accidents claim more than one million lives worldwide each year, in most cases due to human error. Autonomous and connected driving can make a decisive contribution here. In addition, noise and air pollution take a toll on the health of many people. And traffic jams cost time and money: In megacities, commuters lose more than 100 hours a year in traffic jams, resulting in significant losses in productivity.
At the same time, expectations for the vehicle itself are rising: It is increasingly becoming a living and working space – with connected services, integrated displays, and customizable interiors.
Mobility as a connected system
After all, the demands placed on mobility as a system are also changing: People expect flexible, multimodal options – around the clock and across various modes of transportation. Public transit, micromobility, and sharing concepts must be better integrated. Furthermore, urban air mobility – including air taxis, cargo drones, and autonomous aircraft – opens up a new dimension of urban mobility. And in freight transport, geopolitical crises and extreme weather events are increasing the pressure to make supply chains more resilient and lower-emission, both on the road and at sea.
The challenges of mobility can only be overcome through technological innovations and close collaboration across the entire value chain. Covestro is contributing to this effort – with material solutions for climate-neutral powertrains and the circular economy, for safe and intelligent driving, and for efficient and resilient transportation systems.
Making mobility climate-neutral and circular
The transformation of mobility begins with the materials used. Lightweight materials reduce weight and fuel consumption; high-performance materials make electric vehicles safer and more efficient; and high-quality recycling solutions keep valuable raw materials in the circular economy.
