BMW's Thermoelectric Generator

The BMW Group has received the OkoGlobe 2008 award for its development work on a thermoelectric generator. The award was presented by the DEVK insurance group, the Automobil-Club Verkehr and the Center Automotive Research, Gelsenkirchen University of Applied Sciences.

Dr. Klaus Draeger, BMW's Director of Development, accepted the award on behalf of the BMW Group, in the category "Development of the Combustion Engine". It was awarded in recognition of research on implementing the Thermoelectric Generator in the car. This enables the utilisation of energy from waste heat from the combustion engine and is an example of how the BMW Group is exploiting new potentials for energy generation.

Prof. Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, Director Center Automotive Research, said at the award presentation: "The BMW Group's EfficientDynamics measures for raising the efficiency of series production vehicles point the way ahead for the automotive industry. The Thermoelectric Generator shows how this efficiency enhancement can be further developed in the future."

Up to September 2008, the BMW Group had already delivered more than 1million vehicles with BMW EfficientDynamics technology to customers. 28 BMW Group models already have CO2 emissions of 140g CO2/km or lower. Until the end of this year 150 million litres of fuel will be saved in comparison to 2006 and the environment will be disburdened of 370,000 tons CO2.