World Environment Day 2024
On this occasion, the automotive and mobility industry leaders put forth their thoughts and their move towards achieving their sustainability goals
Lexus
By 2030, Lexus aims to achieve a full lineup of BEVs in all categories, and by 2035, the aim is to sell 100% BEVs globally, in its effort to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Lexus developed the industry’s first bamboo-charcoal speakers and luggage compartment trim made from recycled plastics, always pushing the envelope of sustainable material design thereby actively contributing to safeguarding the planet and striving for carbon neutrality, ensuring a positive impact on the world.
Furthermore, in its endeavour to be in ‘Harmony with Nature’, several plantation and mass afforestation activities have been implemented; over 3,28,000 plants are planted in the company premises spread across 112 acres.
Tanmay Bhattacharya, Executive Vice President, Lexus India, said, "At Lexus, we recognize our responsibility to preserve and protect the environment for future generations. As we celebrate World Environment Day, we promise to continue our efforts to lead the automotive industry towards sustainable mobility solutions to create a world where luxury and environmental consciousness can coexist.
CEAT Tyres
CEAT, a leading tyre manufacturer, is proud to announce its commitment to World Environment Day 2024 by initiating a tree plantation drive in Maharashtra. In Ramtek, Maharashtra, CEAT has planted over 25,000 trees in the Karwahi Gram Panchayat near the Pench Tiger Reserve. This project aims to restore degraded lands to primary forests, protect the habitat of endangered species, reduce human-animal conflicts, enhance forest-based livelihoods for local communities, uplift rural areas, and rejuvenate water bodies and landscapes. The drive generated approximately 2,000 workdays for the rural community of Ramtek Tehsil. The project has benefited more than 200 people, with over 60% being women. Once mature, the plantation is expected to absorb approximately 500,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For FY2024-2025, CEAT aims to plant over 60,500 trees to improve forest cover in the area further.
Mr. Arnab Banerjee, Managing Director & CEO, CEAT Limited said, "At CEAT, we are dedicated to crafting a greener planet through initiatives that provide a sustainable solution. Aligning with this year's World Environment Day theme, #GenerationRestoration, our tree plantation project aims to improve air quality, restore regional biodiversity, and enhance soil quality. This drive has significantly benefited more than 200 individuals in Maharashtra, particularly women. Looking ahead, we aim to empower more locals through this eco-friendly effort and provide them a sustainable future."
Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles
On the occasion of World Environment Day tomorrow i.e. 5th June 2024, VECV reiterates its commitment to building a cleaner and more sustainable future for the CV industry in India.
Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, MD & CEO, VECV states, "India’s auto industry is transitioning its energy mix towards cleaner alternate fuels in line with the nation’s Net Zero commitments. Our approach at VECV is through application-specific alternate fuel drivelines, smart manufacturing processes, and smart support solutions contributing to the rapid modernization of the Indian logistics ecosystem. We are committed to deliver on a diverse array of possibilities, including Battery Electric Vehicles, Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines, and fuel cell technology, which will be introduced as the market becomes ready. In addition to this, we also believe that sustainability is about efficient asset utilization. All Volvo and Eicher trucks and buses are backed by a 100% connected ecosystem to deliver on our promise of productivity and superior uptime for our customers."
MG India
MG (Morris Garages), a British automobile brand with a 100-year-old legacy, also known for its innovative and sustainable initiatives, announced a significant milestone in India for environmental protection on World Environment Day. Through the thoughtful use of water-based paints in the repainting processes of over 1.72 lakh MG vehicles over the past five years across its service centres in India, the company has successfully saved over 30,000 kilograms of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from being released into the atmosphere. The water-based paints process emits only 10gm of VOCs per litre of water compared to the 400gm released by solvent-based paints, thereby significantly reducing 390gm of harmful VOCs on each vehicle during repainting. MG India has been using water-based paint since the start of its India operations in 2019. By embracing this sustainable approach, MG India has demonstrated its responsibility towards the environment and ensured the well-being of its customers and the communities operates in.
Commenting on this achievement, Satinder Singh Bajwa, Chief Commercial Officer, MG India, said, "At MG, we believe and work in a manner that echoes the fact that sustainability is an integral part of our business. We are delighted to have saved 30,000 kg of VOCs through the mindful adoption of water-based paints at all our service centres in the country. This milestone highlights our dedication to reducing our environmental impact and showcases our commitment to achieve our net-zero target and create a greener future for generations to come. I hope that the aftersales market increasingly adopts the use of water-based paints for painting work, ensuring a more effective way to care for the sensitive state of our environment."
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) announced its commitment to environment sustainability by celebrating Environment Month coinciding with World Environment Day on June 5th. The celebration was kicked off at Safson Honda, Dehradun (Uttarakhand) with a sapling planting ceremony led by Mr. Yogesh Mathur (Director, Sales & Marketing), Mr. Tadashi Mishige (Executive Coordinator, Customer Service) and Mr. Shivaprakash Hiremath (Operating Officer, Customer Service) along with other senior delegates from HMSI.
As part of the Environment Month celebrations, HMSI is setting an inspiring example by planting 1 lakh trees across various regions of India. Authorized Main Dealers (AMD) Of HMSI will actively engage in the campaign by conducting free-of-cost PUC check-up drives, distributing informative leaflets to customers, and pasting environment awareness promotion stickers on invoices and vehicles. In addition, HMSI dealers will be distributing saplings to all the customers visiting the dealerships in June. To further spread awareness, they will send SMS messages to customers highlighting the importance of environmental conservation.
From pioneering emission reduction technologies to investing in green manufacturing, HMSI is dedicated to creating a sustainable future. HMSI’s 3rd Factory in Narsapura (Bangalore) meets 98% of its energy requirements through renewable resources. HMSI is expanding its capability and meets more than half of its total energy needs through renewable sources. All HMSI plants have been awarded the prestigious GreenCo World Class rating, achieving Platinum and Platinum plus levels, a testament to their environmental excellence. Demonstrating governance in water conservation, HMSI maintains zero liquid discharge across all its manufacturing facilities. It also employs rainwater harvesting, with its Third factory at Narasapura (Bangalore) meeting 100% of its water requirements through rainwater alone.
Odysse Electric Vehicles
Odysse Electric Vehicles, India's fastest-growing electric vehicle manufacturer, is excited to announce "The Big Bike Sale" on World Environment Day. This special offer will be available until 5th June 2024, providing consumers with amazing savings of up to Rs 10,000 on a wide choice of electric bikes. Odysse Electric Vehicles, a firm dedicated to sustainable transportation, is committed to promoting eco-friendly mobility options. It provides an extensive range of stylish and high-performance electric bikes to meet the demands of a wide variety of customers. These bikes offer a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to typical gasoline-powered vehicles for everyone from everyday commuters to adventure lovers.
Mr. Nemin Vora, CEO, Odysse Electric Vehicles, stated, "Hosting 'The Big Bike Sale' in celebration of World Environment Day signifies our commitment to fostering environmental awareness and sustainable practices. This initiative not only facilitates greater accessibility to our innovative electric bikes but also reinforces our dedication to promoting environmental conservation and sustainable living. We believe that by providing attractive discounts, we can encourage more individuals to embrace eco-friendly mobility solutions, thereby contributing to a greener future for generations to come."
Hero MotoCorp
Hero MotoCorp – the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – has emerged as a champion of sustainability, with all its eight facilities – including all the six manufacturing plants - in India being certified as ‘Zero-Waste-to-Landfill’(ZWL).
Making this announcement on the occasion of the World Environment Day, Niranjan Gupta, CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said “Sustainability is a commitment in our journey to be an environment-friendly business. Our zero-waste-to-landfill policy is rooted in our belief that to be a sustainable business, manufacturing with an unflinching commitment to the environment is as important as providing quality and fuel-efficient products and creating an engaging customer experience,” says.
The Zero Waste-to-Landfill pilot project was initiated at the company’s manufacturing facility at Neemrana in Rajasthan in the fiscal year 2018-19. Since then, the amount of waste generated has reduced by 40% and all the plants have achieved a diversion rate of more than 99.9% - well before the target timeline of 2025. With six state-of-the-art plants in India – Dharuhera and Gurugram in Haryana, Haridwar in Uttarakhand, Neemrana in Rajasthan, Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, and Halol in Gujarat – and the world-class Global Parts Centre (GPC) located in Neemrana and the world-class Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur - Hero MotoCorp took up the ambitious goal of being zero-waste-to-landfill by 2025.
Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) commences a pilot Biogas plant at its Manesar facility in the fiscal year 2024-25, harnessing the untapped potential of in-house food waste and Napier grass as resources at its plant. The initiative is in alignment with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ‘Waste to Energy’ program, reflecting our commitment to sustainable practices and innovative waste management solutions.
In FY2023-24, the company invested INR 120.8 crores towards commissioning renewable energy initiatives like solar power and biogas. It has further pledged to increase the investment approximately fourfold to INR 450 crores spread over three years starting FY 2024-25. This will significantly boost MSIL’s environmental sustainability initiatives.
The pilot plant is designed to produce 0.2 tons of biogas daily. The anticipated output is about 1 lac standard cubic meters of biogas in FY 2024-25. It will offset approximately 190 tonnes of CO2 per annum. Imbibing principles of circularity, the company will be using food waste from canteens and Napier grass as raw materials. The pilot biogas plant will provide energy for the manufacturing processes of the company’s Manesar facility. The residual organic manure will be utilized in horticulture effectively making it a zero-discharge model.
Speaking on the company’s upcoming green energy initiatives, Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “Energy is one of the critical inputs in the manufacturing process. The biogas plant at Manesar is another step towards fostering a cleaner and more sustainable energy landscape at MSIL and the industry at large. Just as we are bringing multiple technologies in our products, we would also focus on multiple renewable energy sources to make our operations greener.”
Zomato
In an effort to commemorate World Environment Day 2024, Zomato, India's food ordering and delivery platform, launched a unique ad film reinforcing its commitment to facilitate 100% EV-based deliveries by 2030. The film playfully highlights Zomato's delivery partner’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by showcasing a series of comedic trials with unconventional transport methods, to ensure timely deliveries.
Commenting on the campaign, Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Zomato's Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato stated, “Sustainability is at the core of Zomato’s business, underscored by its commitment to achieve 100% EV-based deliveries by 2030. Given that over 90% of our emissions arise from last-mile deliveries (within Scope 3 value-chain emissions), the transition to EV-based deliveries is critical, making it one of our most significant steps toward achieving our Net Zero target by 2033. In line with our commitment towards environmental responsibility, Zomato became the first and sole food ordering and delivery platform globally to join the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative in 2021, a strategic move that reflects our steadfast confidence in the advantages of transitioning to EVs, amidst the early stages of India's 2W EV ecosystem.”
Pravaig Dynamics
Pravaig is a deep technology and manufacturing company building EVs, advanced batteries, and AI products in India. Mr. Siddhartha Bagri, Co-Founder and CEO, Pravaig highlights policies supporting local innovation and production in India's EV industry to foster self-sustainability and long-term growth.
"Bharat is destined to be huge. Let’s capture the value by and for Indians, not outsiders. As EV manufacturers, our expectations are to see policies that prioritize local innovation and production, fostering a self-sustaining industry. We advocate for more self-enriching policies that provide incentives for domestic manufacturers, as well as for a stable regulatory environment. Consistent, well-thought-out policies are crucial to avoid disruptions that can hinder growth. This calls for more stable, long-term strategies rather than ad hoc changes, ensuring the industry can plan and invest with confidence."
