ATZ|MTZ and Arthur D. Little (ADL) presented the Sustainability Award in Automotive for the fifth time today at the ATZlive Congress on Electric Drives and Energy Systems. A total of eight projects were honored that represent sustainable and future-oriented mobility solutions.
More than 30 projects in the areas of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and micro- as well as urban mobility were submitted by vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers by the end of January. These were evaluated by an independent jury consisting this year of Katja Gicklhorn-Oberfell (State Ministry Baden-Württemberg), Susanne Götz (Transport & Environment), Prof. Dr. André Casal Kulzer (Institute for Vehicle Technology Stuttgart), Prof. Dr. Peter Gutzmer (Editor ATZ/MTZ), and Dr. Philipp Seidel (Arthur D. Little).
In the category Mobility Concepts – Infrastructure, the award went to Ampermo GmbH for “Depot charging for E-CV with EMS.” “This is a holistic system for logistics centers that creates a closed mobility concept for electrically powered vehicles, independent of external operators. This allows companies to sustainably and innovatively cover their own mobility needs with their own green electricity. The companies only incur costs for the electricity consumed; the infrastructure is built and operated by Ampermo,” emphasized presenter Peter Gutzmer.
The category Mobility Concepts – Business Models was won by the Sustainable Tech Center for Commercial Vehicles of AVL List GmbH. Gutzmer: “AVL List has also designed a closed system for a comprehensive test center for commercial vehicles, where, for example, 90% of the heat energy from tests is recovered, rainwater is collected, and braking energy can be recovered. In April, the center based on this concept will open in Styria.”
Groundbreaking Technologies Awarded
In the category Technology – Materials/Raw Materials, Circular Economy, Continental Reifen Deutschland won with their development of the “Car Tire with renewable, recycled, certified materials.” “When we talk about sustainability in the automotive industry, it is often about materials and material cycles. Tires are often neglected here, even though tire wear contributes significantly to microplastics and soot in road traffic,” emphasized presenter Philipp Seidel.
“The material concept from Continental strongly focuses on reuse and recycling, as well as on the use of sustainable biological materials for tire production, without compromising the tire’s properties.”
The winner in the category Technology – Operations & Supply Chain was Körber Technologies Battery GmbH, recognized for the Battery Cell Maker Evios Z. Seidel: “The battery of BEVs is a key component when it comes to sustainability, but also the facilities where batteries are produced are relevant. Körber is an example showing that innovations in cell production do not only come from Asia but also from the German Mittelstand. A wonderful contribution to the sustainable battery industry.”
In Technology – Drive Systems, ZF Friedrichshafen AG prevailed for their I2SM electric motor for EVs. Seidel: “The electric drive with the inductive synchronous motor shows how a more sustainable and at the same time compact electric motor can be realized. It does not rely on rare earths, thus reducing dependency on importing these materials. Moreover, the drive can be used in a variety of vehicles, which was an important factor in awarding the prize.”
AVL List also won in the category Technology – Complete Vehicle with their Fuel Cell Technology Demonstrator Truck. “The fuel cell demonstrator is an example of a sustainable heavy-duty truck with fuel cell drive, showing the broad technological spectrum in this area of requirements. The performance, efficiency, and sustainability were particularly worthy of recognition for the jury as an answer to the demands of freight transport,” emphasized juror Seidel.
Smart Cooperations and Ideas
The category Open Innovation was presented by juror Susanne Götz. The winner was TU Darmstadt with their development of the EV Trailer 2 in cooperation with Sono Motors and CuroCon GmbH. Götz: “The project demonstrates how well collaboration between research and industry can work. The electrified trailer can save 20-40% fuel, recover braking energy, generate electricity via PV systems, and operate autonomously within the depot. The system is fully self-sufficient and can be attached to any towing vehicle. Besides the innovation, the collaboration between university and industry is also honored.”
In the Start-up category, ESG-X GmbH convinced the jury with the AI-based ESG Suite for CSRD Reporting. “The ESG Suite is an AI-based software that enables ESG assessment and implementation in companies without installation and simplifies the process significantly,” emphasized Götz. “The AI guides companies and thus helps to realize enormous time and cost savings in ESG certification. Sustainability is a strategic decision.”
The awarded sustainable solutions in the areas of environmental and climate protection as well as social and governance aspects in the automotive and mobility industry demonstrate the importance of the topic for industry and society. The application period for the 2026 award will start in autumn.
Source: https://www.springerprofessional.de/nachhaltigkeit/unternehmen—institutionen/ausgezeichnete-nachhaltigkeit-beim-sustainability-award-2025/50793046
