Worldwide, some 795 million cars are on the road today, and the figure is expected to rise to 1.1 billion by 2020. And 98 percent of them are propelled by fossil fuels. "As a global risk manager and investor, we see significant future risks in climate change and the limited supply of fossil fuel resources," explains Karl-Walter Gutberlet, CEO of Allianz Versicherungs-AG. "That's why we’re already working with the technologies of tomorrow today – so we can understand the risks and opportunities offered by climate change, support the move toward a low-CO2 way of doing business, and offer our clients appropriate products and consultation services."
Allianz tests hydrogen vehicle
The car, a HydroGen4 from the latest generation of GM/Opel fuel-cell vehicles, is being used at Allianz's car service in Berlin. Instead of conventional fuel, the high-tech vehicle uses hydrogen gas, which it carries in tanks pressurized at up to 700 bar. The core of the vehicle is a fuel cell unit that generates electric power by reacting hydrogen with oxygen from the air. With this drive the car can reach maximum speeds of 160 kph, and cover a range of about 320 kilometers. It's emission-free, and thus puts out no CO2 when it's running. "This is an opportunity for the Allianz Technology Center to test a future vehicle concept in everyday use, in partnership with the GM and Opel research department", says Christoph Lauterwasser, managing director at the Technology Center. "As a leading motor vehicle insurer, we must and will deal earlywith new technologies and their special characteristics. Additionally, all of us are affected by the question of how we can sustainably safeguard our mobility."
Karl-Walter Gutberlet, CEO Allianz Versicherungs-AG
An environment-friendly hydrogen vehicle now belongs to Allianz's car fleet
Allianz's worldwide commitment to the environment
As long ago as 2005, Allianz adopted an extensive package of climate measures to reduce its own direct emissions of CO2 that result primarily from office energy consumption and from business travel. "We want the Allianz companies worldwide to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by at least 20 percent by 2012," explains Joachim Faber, CEO of Allianz Global Investors and a member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE.
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