The automotive industry is a key contributor to any country’s GDP, and delivering sustainability-focused solutions is crucial, especially in difficult times. It is imperative for automakers to offer holistic and sustainable solutions in all aspects, from the time a new product idea is conceptualized until the product is released to the public. Water plays an important role here, as more than 40,000 gallons of water go into the production of a single vehicle, and as a result, the industry actively engages in various conservation practices to balance it out. In India, major car manufacturers, as well as major auxiliary units, have switched to waterless solutions, are reusing treated water and limiting water usage for various applications.

Also Read : Nissan Introduces Waterless Car Wash Solution in India

carandbike.com reached out to a few players in the Indian automotive sector to understand the measures being taken at different levels of operation. These would include precautionary measures taken in the manufacturing plant, offices, dealerships, etc. brand to conserve water.

The Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Limited (RNAIPL) plant in Oragadam, Chennai conserves 50,000 liters of water from its sewage treatment plant daily using a settling plant recently installed on its premises. The facility, which separates water from wastewater, mitigates water waste and reduces water demand for RNAIPL’s industrial operations. Cumulatively, the plant initiatives have enabled RNAIPL to conserve approximately 5.76 lakh kilo liters of rainwater and 87% of water saved.

Nissan India launched the Eco Car Wash program in 2016.

On the other hand, Nissan customers have helped reduce car wash water consumption by 45% by switching to the company’s advanced foam wash technique instead of a traditional car wash. The foam wash initiative, a long-term initiative launched by Nissan in 2014, has been offered at all Nissan Service Centers nationwide.

In FY22, Tata Motors retained a total of 9.24 lakh m³ of water thanks to the recycling of effluents and the recovery of rainwater, i.e. 19.7% of total water consumption. The automaker’s plants in Pantnagar and Lucknow are examples of responsible water management, as both plants recycle treated effluent for reuse. These plants have also raised awareness in village communities and recharged more than they consumed throughout the year through scientifically designed groundwater recharge structures inside and outside the premises of the plant. factory. Projects were undertaken throughout the year to reduce freshwater withdrawals by maximizing recycling and minimizing leakage.

Also Read: Toyota’s ECO Car Wash Service Saves 95% Water

The country’s largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki India Limited is achieving significant water savings in its workshops by adapting the dry wash initiative. The company has saved more than 1,000 million liters of water in recent years, using a dry wash system in Maruti Suzuki workshops to wash more than 10 million vehicles since 2016. In 2019, Maruti has contributed to saving a maximum of 160 million liters of water. in major cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Nagpur and Chennai.

The top six cities – Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Nagpur and Chennai – saved a maximum of 160 million liters of water.

TVS Motor Company has a dedicated dashboard for accurate accounting of water withdrawals and consumption at the Hosur manufacturing plant. This IoT system makes it possible to identify anomalies in water consumption and guarantees the immediate implementation of corrective actions. S Devarajan, Senior Vice President, Advanced Manufacturing, TVS Motor Company, said, “At TVS Motor, rainwater harvesting is done through direct collection and reuse, percolation ponds, trenches contour, rainwater drainage with recharge pits and earth control dams. Today, the total amount of rainwater recharged into an aquifer at the company’s Hosur manufacturing plant exceeds the total groundwater abstraction in a rainy year, leading the company to reduce its specific water consumption by 21% in 2020-21. ”

Also Read: Mercedes-Benz India Launches Waterless Cleaning Solution

At Mercedes-Benz India, employees practice sustainability by integrating green practices into their daily lives. Employees also play a central role in preserving the ecological balance of the factory premises, which are home to 125 species of plants and animals. The company also practices zero waste water discharge into the public sewer, while preserving the ecological balance of its factory premises, which are home to 125 species of plants and animals.

In addition to the waterless cleaning solution, Mercedes has also launched a host of car care products.

Ashok Leyland, the second largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India, has implemented several water conservation measures to maintain the ecological balance. Balachander NV, Director of Sustainability and President – CSR, Communications and Corporate Affairs, said: “All of Ashok Leyland’s factories are equipped with low-flow water systems and harvest rainwater. In addition, wastewater is recycled to prevent it from ending up in landfills. Ashok Leyland is now a net positive water company. The solar power plant uses robotic cleaning technology for cleaning the solar modules. Ashok Leyland has also undertaken lake and river restoration projects in Hosur, Pantnagar, Alwar and Bhandara. The restoration of Lake Madhakondapalli resulted in an increase of 30,000 KL in water storage. The company has also constructed 17 artificial rainwater harvesting ponds with a combined capacity of 2.54 lakh kilolitres.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Saved 656 Million Liters of Water in 2018-19

Hyundai’s water-saving campaign encourages customers to ‘dry wash’ their cars at Hyundai Service Centers, and each wash saves approximately 120 liters of water. Hyundai donates water saved by customers through dry washing in drought-stricken areas. In 2018, the company reached the milestone of planting one million trees inside the factory premises to maintain a zero discharge policy. Hyundai also tracks rainwater harvesting and the Chennai plant has six basins with a total capacity of 3.35 lakh tonnes.

Ashok Leyland has built 17 artificial rainwater harvesting ponds with a combined capacity of 2.54 lakh kilolitres.

First tire manufacturer, JK Tire has the lowest consumption of raw water per kg of tire manufactured in the world. With 55% of its electricity needs coming from renewable sources, its carbon footprint is moderated by more than 50% over time. It also claims to be one of the greenest tire companies in the world, particularly for its low carbon footprint, lower raw water consumption per unit of production, greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption. of energy. In its “2030 Sustainability Goals”, the company announced that it would increase the share of collected rainwater in overall annual water use by 2-5% each year for the next 10 years.