As the Volkswagen family of automobiles enters their new hybrid and electric vehicles to the U.S. they’ve already started partnering with companies to offer a more sustainable driving experience, like home solar power and carbon sequestration.
As part of the introduction Volkswagen has partnered with SunPower, 3Degrees and Bosch to reduce their vehicles’ carbon impact to zero and offer owners solar-powered home charging for their electric and hybrid vehicles. Through 3Degrees Audi will purchase carbon offset certificates in California and Africa to offset certain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. SunPower has offered solar installations with other auto manufacturers, including Ford.
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While auto manufacturers have already partnered with automotive companies in the past to offer home solar power and solar charging for EVs, this new agreement is noticeable in that SunPower also is offering access to energy storage as well and though the option isn’t here yet it shows that companies like SunPower are anticipating that the technology will soon be commercially viable. With the option of energy storage homeowners can even provide their own power a blackout, according to SunPower.
Audi is introducing the A3 Sportback e-tron and Volkswagen the e-Golf in 2015. The Sportback is Audi’s first plug-in hybrid in the U.S. and the e-Golf Volkswagen’s first zero-emissions vehicle in the U.S.
”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.”
The Level-2 chargers that Audi is offering are installed by Bosch Automotive and while the chargers are free, Bosch will charge for the installation. The chargers are also being offered through Volkswagen.
Volkswagen also partnered with ChargePoint, which will provide e-Golf dealerships with VW-branded charging stations. In addition, e-Golf drivers will have access to over 18,000 ChargePoint stations across the U.S.
Volkswagen also announced that its carbon offsets will include supporting the 24,000 acre Garcia River Conservation-Based Forest Management Project as well as the 16,000-acre Big River and Salmon Creek Forests, both or which are in Mendocino, County, Calif. The company also is supporting the McKinney Landfill in Texas. That project captures gases and will, in the future be used for renewable energy production. “Volkswagen is showing leadership by including carbon offsets standard with this e-Golf electric vehicle,” said 3Degrees President Steve McDougal.
This article was originally posted on SolarReviews by Chris Meehan.