Initiatives for Production

Pursuing Carbon Neutrality in Production by 2035

As a member of the Toyota Group, to make further contributions to the development of a low-carbon society, which is a global issue, the Daihatsu Group greatly moved up the 2050 target for achieving carbon neutrality in production, setting a new target of 2035. We now seek to achieve carbon neutrality in production by 2035 by reducing CO₂ emissions in the production processes¹ of Daihatsu Motor and our subsidiaries. To achieve this lofty target, we established the Production & Logistics Carbon Neutral Promotion Department as a specialized organization within the Production Control Division in January 2022 and began taking action in three areas: extensive energy saving by pursuing SSC, development and incorporation of innovative technologies, and utilization of renewable energy. In October 2022, we conducted refinement at the Kyoto (Oyamazaki) Plant and designated it as a model plant for the period until 2035. We are rolling out the acquired technologies and expertise in Japan and overseas and strongly promoting measures for achieving carbon neutrality in production.

1. Daihatsu Motor's production sites and production subsidiaries with over 50% stake

2. A concept for auto manufacturing embodying Daihatsu’s unique value

Refinement at the Kyoto (Oyamazaki) Plant with an Eye toward Carbon Neutrality

The Kyoto (Oyamazaki) Plant has been producing mainly compact cars including Toyota vehicles, the Charade, and the Terios for approximately 50 years since operations began in April 1973. Daihatsu refined the plant in September 2018 and upgraded it in October 2022 to maintain and enhance competitiveness in environmental performance, quality, and production, and today, the plant is pursuing production based on SSC (simple, slim, and compact), Daihatsu’s MONODUKURI concept, and implementing extensive energy saving with an eye toward achieving carbon neutrality. When consolidating buildings for the painting, assembly, and inspection processes, we concentrated heat sources on the upper floor to support energy management by minimizing heat input to the lower floor (the work area), and created a compact plant by reducing the number of processes by approximately 15% compared to the previous plant through traverse movement of vehicles, shortened painting booth lengths, and other measures. In addition, the plant adopted air conditioning recycling in dry booths of the painting process, a new technology, and installed solar power (renewable energy) generation facilities, slashing CO₂ emissions by 42% (compared to 2013).

Specific Initiatives for Achieving Carbon Neutrality in Production

Extensive Energy Saving by Pursuing SSC

In accordance with Daihatsu’s fundamental SSC (simple, slim, and compact) concept we are taking action to eliminate waste and steadily energy saving at all production sites. We have made electricity consumption at plants visible in real time, and all employees are working to eliminate waste and make improvements in energy usage.

Development and Incorporation of Innovative Technologies

Daihatsu is also actively adopting innovative energy-saving technologies that will lead to reductions in CO₂. One such example is the introduction of air conditioning recycling in dry booths of the painting process at the Kyoto (Oyamazaki) Plant. In this way, we will introduce new technologies to production sites and investigate deployment at other Daihatsu Group plants. We also have a policy of collaborating with the Toyota Group and developing new technologies unique to Daihatsu.

Utilization of Renewable Energy

Daihatsu has already installed solar power generation facilities at multiple plants and business sites and is promoting the use of renewable energy, and we will continue to expand the use of solar power generation throughout the Daihatsu Group in the future. We are also conducting a biogas production project in collaboration with the Ryuoh-cho local government at the Shiga (Ryuoh) Plant (see right illustration). We will continue to reinforce these types of initiatives representative of Daihatsu.

Biogas Production Project at Shiga (Ryuoh) Plant

Daihatsu also develops renewable energy technologies. As an example, we are proceeding with a biogas production project at the Daihatsu Shiga (Ryuoh) Plant. Approximately half of the energy used in automobile manufacturing processes is used in heating. Biogas is produced through the processing of the dung of Omi cattle, Japanese Wagyu. Japanese Wagyu cattle fatting is an important local industry in Shiga (Ryuoh) prefecture. The biogas can be used in place of fossil fuels. While combustion of biogas, like natural gas, produces carbon dioxide (CO₂), a greenhouse gas, the carbon in biogas comes from plant matter that fixes this carbon from atmospheric CO₂. Thus, biogas production is carbon-neutral and does not add to greenhouse gas emissions. Biogas is one of the most sustainable energy sources available for producing thermal energy. We are currently developing a fermentation process using cattle dung and efficient fermentation technologies using waste heat from our plant. This project is subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).