Audi aims to be the cleanest brand: zero emissions and air filtration around it

The race among brands to become pioneers in zero-emission mobility is bringing new technologies that improve how vehicles work. Electric mobility, hydrogen fuel cell engines and other features make it possible to eliminate polluting gases from cities, but one brand wants to go further.

Audi has just announced that it will launch a system that will not only allow its models to emit no polluting gases, but will also filter the air around them and release it back into the atmosphere completely clean. This will be achieved through a filtration system that draws in the air around the vehicle, passes it through a filter that captures all the pollution, and returns the filtered air to the atmosphere.

This process will take place while the electric car is driving or simply connected to the charger. The system was developed together with Mann+Hummel, one of the world’s most important companies specialised in filtration systems. Although it is still too early to certify that it works correctly, it is already being tested on some of the brand’s prototypes.

Technology in testing since 2020

The air filtration technology for removing environmental pollution has been tested by Audi since 2020. This means the German brand’s commitment has been underway for some time. The important point is that this technology could become commonplace in the industry and could be installed on models from all brands, not just those of Audi.

The air filtration technology around the car works in two ways, active and passive. When the car is moving, air enters the system through the front grille. This air passes through the filter, which cleans it, and the air continues on its way until it returns to the atmosphere, but totally clean.

When charging, the vehicle uses the fan to draw in air and passes it through the filter. This is the active form of filtration, which, obviously, only works when the vehicle is connected to the electrical grid so as not to draw energy from the battery.

Audi says that the system has already covered around 50,000 kilometres, working without problems and without affecting the normal operation of the vehicle in any way. What they have verified is that the air quality around the vehicle improves and that the filtration system works without problems. This good news could improve air quality in cities and help us breathe better in general.