Porsche is embracing one of the many key themes currently floating around the global automotive industry: carbon neutrality.
Carbon offsetting, like zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) is a growing trend, and one that has sparked the interest of the German carmaker who has plans to launch its relatively new European program — Porsche Impact — in the U.S.
“At Porsche, we are continually focused on innovative and sustainable business practices,” said Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “Porsche Impact is another way for us and our customers to help offset carbon emissions as part of our goal to become the most sustainable premium sports car manufacturer in the world.”
The carmaker plans to do this by enrolling all cars at its two Experience Centres in the U.S. — and its fleet in Porsche Passport — in Porsche Impact.
To be clear, Porsche Passport launched in 2017 in the U.S. as a month-to-month subscription-based program allowing members to frequently exchange vehicles. In 2018, the company launched something similar, Porsche Drive, in Montreal, Que.
Porsche Impact is a new program from Porsche Digital. It allows owners to calculate emissions individually, per car, and then offset them by “supporting environmentally friendly projects in the U.S. and worldwide.” The program is geared towards people who want to reduce the CO2 footprint of their vehicle, while still driving a car with an internal-combustion engine.
Owners can choose from four certified projects, which focus on forest protection in the U.S., hydropower in Vietnam, solar energy in Mexico, and species diversity in Zimbabwe, Africa.
“Later this year, U.S. customers will be able to enrol in Porsche Impact and use their vehicle’s annual mileage to determine the CO2 generated and the corresponding level of financial contribution to neutralize emissions,” said Porsche.
As for the cost, Porsche offered an example: “driving a 2019 Cayenne S for 10,000 miles a year would generate an offsetting contribution between approximately $67 and $152 annually, depending on which project the customer chooses to support.”
The program will soon be offered to U.S. customers, though no details have been mentioned for the Canadian market.
The company estimates that it can offset more than 3.5 million miles of driving this year, by 425 vehicles in its fleets at the Porsche Experience Centres in Atlanta and Los Angeles, in addition to the cars in its Porsche Passport and Porsche Drive programs.
