Business case

Producing transportation equipment for the movement of goods and people by air, rail, sea, and land, including airplanes, spacecraft and military equipment, ships, boats, rail locomotives and rolling stock, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, and related equipment, as well as repair services for such equipment

Transportation Equipment

Using bio-based materials such as bioplastics, mushroom-based materials, etc.

Alternative bio-based materials and inputs

Designing products of multiple parts that can be easily disassembled

Design for disassembly

Designing products of multiple parts that can be easily exchanged

Design for modularity

Locally produced food has to travel shorter, which means less fuel is consumed and less greenhouse gases are generated. Moreover, buying locally produced food helps local farmers and markets and creates more jobs in the local businesses. 


Produce locally

Other

Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

Urban Opportunities

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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TreeHugger 
 


Nearly 100 years after Ford unveiled the groundbreaking Model T, they’ve finally decided to again move along the alphabet. With a vehicle that is trying to be as much of a mould breaker as its predecessor was. The Model U is a prototype SUV. Lets ignore, for the moment, the question of whether the planet needs another such beast. And look instead at the innovations captured by the Model U. A vehicle that has felt the hand of Cradle-to-Cradle design guru William McDonough. The Marc Newson of green design - he’s everywhere!Firstly, to put your mind at ease the Model U is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell supercharged engine. Almost nil CO2 emissions and 25% more fuel efficient than a petrol (gasoline) engine. the equivalent of 45 mpg (5.2lt/100km)and about 300 miles (480km) of range. All without a loss in power output. A world first.While some the other Model U developments, noted below, may not be world beaters, they hopeful show a shift in direction for the American automotive industry and may be possible world savers: • recyclable polyester on seats, dash, steering wheel, headrests, door trim, and armrests.• a corn-based biopolymer for the retractable canvas roof and carpet mats. (Watch those  GMOs.)• also corn-based fillers in the rubber tyres as a partial substitute for rubber black to improve rolling resistance and thus fuel economy• soy-based composite resins form the rear tailgate and side panels• soy-based composite foam for seating• all the armrests are interchangeable for ease of maintenance and remanufacturing• lightweight, recyclable aluminium body• versatile body shape and design, converts from a sedan to a utility truckElsewhere at Ford they annually use more than 50 million plastic soft drink bottles to make automobile grill opening reinforcements, and about one billion bottle caps to make automotive heating and air conditioning components.Ford have two websites that record their environmental initiatives and other good works. [by WM] Ford Model U concept SUV
Nearly 100 years after Ford unveiled the groundbreaking Model T, they’ve finally decided to again move along the alphabet. With a vehicle that is trying to be as much of a mould breaker as its predecessor was. The Model U is a prototype SUV. Lets 
 
  
 
 
 
 

 
  
 
 
 




 



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Ford

Made from environmentally benign materials, it boasts everything from soya- based polyurethane foam seats to a car roof made from a corn-based biopolymer. Post-use, the car can be disassembled and either returned to the earth or rebuilt. * Energy impact: less then 25% of fuel compared to a normal car * Emissions impact: almost zero CO2 emissions Read more at:

Modular car made from biobased materials

Enacting measures that optimise material use such as 3D printing, etc.

Material efficiency

 The spoiler on a future Ford car you buy might be 3D-printed. Ford Motor Company announced on Monday that they’ve begun testing 3D printing of large-scale parts, using tech provided by 3D printing industry giant Stratasys. The pilot project is designed to find out how Ford might be able to use 3D printing to make large parts, tooling and components at relatively small volumes, where it normally wouldn’t make sense to even bother because of how much it would cost.
If these tests with Stratasys’ commercial-grade Infinite Build 3D printer go well, that could open up a whole new world of opportunity for niche vehicle lines, vehicle upgrade options and more. That’s very handy in some of the fields where Ford currently operates, including racer manufacture, and in building prototype and concept vehicles rapidly and with less investment required.
But for the ordinary consumer, it could mean custom rides off the production line in the future, with made-to-order parts and aesthetic upgrades that are truly unique. Commercial 3D printing is appealing because it doesn’t require use of the kinds of moulds built to form plastic body panel parts like spoilers today. Building those moulds is so expensive up front that it would never make sense for a car maker to build them for singe or even small-batch use, unless the customer in question was willing to pay far, far more than the price of your average vehicle.
3D printed parts don’t just have cost benefits – they also offer weight savings. Ford estimates that a 3D-printed spoiler could be less than half the weight of the equivalent made from a metal casting, for instance, so you can extrapolate that a car where many of its external body pieces are 3D-printed could enjoy greatly decreased weight overall, and better fuel efficiency as a result.
So far, Ford’s just testing this tech at its Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn Mich., but if all goes well it could herald a big change in the way the company makes cars. 

Ford Motor Company announced on Monday that they’ve begun testing 3D printing of large-scale parts, using tech provided by 3D printing industry giant Stratasys. 3D printed parts don’t just have cost benefits – they also offer weight savings. Ford estimates that a 3D-printed spoiler could be less than half the weight of the equivalent made from a metal casting, for instance, so you can extrapolate that a car where many of its external body pieces are 3D-printed could enjoy greatly decreased weight overall, and better fuel efficiency as a result. Read more at:

3D printing car parts

Impact on the ease of innovation, and facilitating uptake of innovations

Innovation

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Converting fossil fuel based operations to electric

Electrification

Using renewable energy like solar, wind, etc. or renewable fuels like biomass, etc.

Renewable energy, fuels

Working together with industry peers to engage in business activities or exploratory projects that advance the circular economy

Joint industry ventures, projects, pilots

Impacts

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The three automakers, in a statement, said the new alliance sends a clear signal to suppliers, policymakers and the industry to encourage the further development of hydrogen infrastructure worldwide."We believe we were never as close to reaching a breakthrough in fuel-cell cars as today thanks to this partnership," Daimler AG research and development chief Thomas Weber said.The partners are targeting production of at least 100,000 cars, Weber said today at a press conference in Germany. The manufacturers will invest equal amounts in the project to develop fuel-cell stacks and systems, they said in the statement, without giving details.Toyota Motor Corp. and BMW AG announced a partnership on Jan. 24 to develop fuel-cell systems, in addition to cooperation in other areas including light-weight technologies and a common sports-car platform.Fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, evaporating water as emissions when the car is driven. Compared to electric vehicles powered by batteries, fuel-cell cars have a range close to combustion engine vehicles and fueling time is comparable to filling up a gasoline tank.Nissan Motor Co. won't take a stake in the existing joint venture Automotive Fuel Cell Corp. between Daimler and Ford Motor Co. to avoid time-consuming contract negotiations, said Herbert Kohler, Daimler's head of future technology.Joint developments allow the manufacturers to share costs and achieve higher volumes once production starts."We can proceed quicker as we can develop around the clock," Weber said. The project will use the partners' existing development centers in Detroit, Tokyo, Vancouver and Daimler's hometown of Stuttgart, Germany.Each partner will market its own branded vehicles, probably starting with front-wheel-drive models, Weber said."This powertrain is the start of a modular strategy," he said. "It has to be adaptable into several models."The partnership is open to other manufacturers, including Nissan's French global alliance partner, Renault SA, Weber said.

Nissan

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Daimler

Three global automakers, Daimler, Ford and Nissan, have signed an agreement to jointly develop a fuel cell system to power zero-emissions vehicles. Powered by electricity generated from hydrogen and oxygen, FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) emit only water while driving. The partners plan to develop a common fuel cell stack and fuel cell system that can be used by each company in the launch of differentiated, separately branded vehicles.

Joint industry program for fuel cell electric vehicles

Ford and Heinz are investigating the use of tomato fibers in developing
sustainable, composite materials for use in vehicle manufacturing.
Specifically, dried tomato skins could become the wiring brackets in a Ford
vehicle or the storage bin a Ford customer uses to hold coins and other small
objects. Researchers were looking for innovative ways to recycle and repurpose
peels, stems and seeds from the more than two million tons of tomatoes the
Heinz uses annually to produce ketchup.



Repurposing tomato waste into car parts

GIS Aquifer Modelling provides an overview of water conditions and availability for manufacturing facilities. Targets concerning water efficiency, reduction and conservation can and should be set in line with local conditions.