Chrysler Group outlines environmental commitment

The Chrysler Group is addressing environmental challenges by working continuously to improve the environmental performance of its products and operations.

The company’s commitment to the environment is reflected in eco-compatible innovations in its products, the greening of its manufacturing operations, support of the development of advanced sustainable technologies and its leadership in promoting the use of alternative fuels. 

Developing products that minimize impact on the environment

• Since 1998, the Chrysler Group has produced 1.5 million Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) capable of running on clean, renewable, American-made ethanol fuel, E85.
• In 2007, it will launch its second light-duty diesel product, the Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel SUV, joining the Dodge Ram heavy-duty pickups and Dodge Sprinter vans in its diesel product lineup.
• In 2002, the Chrysler Group announced the first diesel-powered, mid-sized SUV for sale in the U.S., the Jeep Liberty CRD. In 2004, it was the first U.S. automaker to offer fuel-saving Multiple Displacement System technology, with the HEMI engine on the Chrysler 300.
• Since 2000, the company has offered the best-selling street-legal electric vehicle in the U.S., the GEM. More than 30,000 GEM vehicles are in use in the U.S.
• In 1999, the Chrysler Group offered the EPIC electric minivan, a second-generation battery-powered fully-electric minivan with fast-charge technology, advanced nickel-metal hydride batteries and full minivan capabilities.
• In 1998, it was a founding partner of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, to demonstrate and develop fuel cell vehicles. Today, the company has more than 100 fuel cell cars, trucks and buses on the road worldwide, more than any other automaker.
• In 1994, the former Chrysler Corporation offered the first vehicle certified to California Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle standard (1994 natural gas Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans).
• Beginning in 1993, the former Chrysler Corporation was the first manufacturer to produce vehicles meeting California's Low Emission Vehicle, Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle and Zero Emission Vehicle standards.

 ‘Greening’ its manufacturing operations

• In order to reduce CO2 emissions at our plants, the Chrysler Group strives to use energy as efficiently as possible and utilize low-carbon energy sources wherever possible. Chrysler Group manufacturing facilities reduced absolute CO2 emissions by 17.2 percent from 2002 to 2006. Greenhouse gas emissions per vehicle produced decreased by 4.9 percent during that time period.  
• Its North American facilities reduced annual energy usage by more than 18.3 percent from 2002 levels, and in 2006, consumed 14.5 percent less energy per vehicle produced than in 2002.
• The Chrysler Group believes that reduction, reuse and recycling of wastes is better than disposal. The reconditioning and reuse of raw, process and operating materials has been standard practice at DaimlerChrysler for many years. It is also increasingly manufacturing its vehicles with parts derived from recyclable materials. 
• Two of the company’s facilities, the Newark, Del., assembly plant and the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) in Dundee, Mich., have achieved zero-waste-to-landfill status.
• All Chrysler Group manufacturing facilities in Mexico are zero wastewater discharge facilities. At the three facilities, treated sanitary wastewater is used for irrigation, while treated process wastewater is returned back to the manufacturing processes. These voluntary initiatives are helping to preserve the region’s scarce water resources.
• Chrysler Group facilities have earned certification to the ISO 14001:2004 standards, which includes establishing an environmental management system to support continuous improvement in the environmental performance of its facilities.
• Through the Design for the Environment process, Chrysler Group engineers design and engineer new products and processes to minimize the impact on the environment. This includes reducing the different types of plastics used in its vehicles, eliminating harmful substances and increasing the recycled material content in our vehicles.
• Since 1991, the Chrysler Group has researched recycling technologies aimed at reducing the amount of a vehicle that goes to landfill through the Vehicle Recycling Partnership. This research includes reusing materials recovered from end-of-life vehicles in new automotive applications, as a fuel, or in other types of consumer products.

 Reinvesting in and preserving our environment

• Chrysler Group has invested more than $10 billion in recent years in the communities where the company has its roots. This includes more than $165 million to recondition “brownfield” sites for future productive uses. It has invested billions of dollars more to construct or refurbish production facilities on these sites or in some cases, supported local developers to ensure productive use of the sites.
• Over the past decade and a half, nearly 40 sites have undergone environmental and economic transformation.
• Additionally, in a unique partnership with Michigan State University (MSU), the Chrysler Group has turned a former dump site in Michigan into a research lab for the development of biofuels. Professor Kurt Thelen is growing sunflowers, canola, switchgrass, corn and soybeans on the brownfield site to research and develop better renewable fuels and to study whether viable fuel crops can be grown on former industrial sites all over the country.

 Alternative Fuels

• The Chrysler Group has a strong collaborating relationship with NextEnergy Inc. and Biodiesel Industries Inc., in developing advanced renewable fuels for the future. The partners focus on research targeting biodiesel fuel development and technical innovation, as well as the development and refinement of industry standards for the rapidly growing biodiesel industry. Detroit-based NextEnergy is a non-profit organization created by the State of Michigan to advance the alternative energy technology industry in Michigan. Biodiesel Industries, headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif., operates the largest network of biodiesel production facilities in the nation. 
• The Chrysler Group is the industry leader in supporting the development of a national standard for B20, or 20 percent biodiesel fuel. In order for the industry to produce, sell and warranty vehicles that run on B20, a strong national standard is critical. Research organizations such as NextEnergy are bringing the company closer to reaching that goal in 2007.
• The company’s passenger diesel vehicles are delivered factory fueled with B5, or 5 percent biodiesel. In addition, the company has approved the use of B20 in 2007 Dodge Ram vehicles for commercial, government and military fleets.
• The diesel lineup includes:
• Jeep Grand Cherokee (3.0-liter engine)
• Dodge Ram (6.7-liter engine)
• Dodge Sprinter (3.0-liter engine) (approved for the use of B2)
• In 2007, the Chrysler Group will produce more than 250,000 flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs) capable of running on E85 fuel, conventional gasoline or any combination of the two fuels. The company's FFV fleet will increase to nearly 500,000 in 2008. The FFV lineup includes:
• Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUVs (4.7-liter engine)
• Dodge Ram and Dodge Dakota pickups (4.7-liter engine) 
• Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring sedan (2.7-liter engine)
• Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans (3.3-liter engine)

Recognizing Environmental Leadership

• The Chrysler Group has established the Environmental Leadership Award, given every other year to recognize the efforts of employees and their colleagues in the supplier network for extraordinary innovation and dedication to reducing the environmental impact of the company’s products and facilities. The program fosters pro-environmental thinking in all levels and functions of the company and is a tool for sharing best practices. Awards are given in three categories:
• Production-related environmental protection
• Product-related environmental protection
• Extraordinary efforts for the environment/extraordinary environmental responsibility
• News on the Environmental Leadership Award can be found at www.daimlerchrysler.com.