Eberspächer is advancing its sustainability strategy by integrating CO₂ reduced stainless steel into series production, demonstrating how material innovation can directly reduce the carbon footprint of critical vehicle components.
As part of a pilot project at the Purem by Eberspächer plant in Wilsdruff, Germany, a production line for exhaust gas aftertreatment systems was converted to use Circle Green stainless steel supplied by Outokumpu. The material is described as virtually CO₂ neutral and enables a reduction of emissions per produced exhaust system of around 30 percent, equivalent to annual savings of more than 8,000 tonnes of CO₂.
Importantly for vehicle manufacturers and operators, the switch does not affect product quality. Eberspächer confirms that all existing performance, durability, and quality standards remain unchanged.
The exhaust gas aftertreatment systems produced at the Wilsdruff site are used in medium and heavy duty vehicles, including buses and construction machinery for the European market. As emissions regulations tighten and sustainability reporting becomes more granular, material sourcing for components such as exhaust systems is gaining strategic importance.
For bus OEMs and bodybuilders, the ability to integrate lower CO₂ components without redesigning systems or disrupting supply chains supports both regulatory compliance and corporate climate targets.
The project required close coordination across procurement, production, and supplier interfaces. Purchasing and sales teams worked jointly with Outokumpu to align material availability, allocation, and delivery timing. Integrating the new steel grade into operational planning systems demanded precise synchronisation across the entire supply chain, from raw material sourcing to component delivery.
By the end of 2025, around 90 percent of the most commonly used steel grades on the production line had been converted to CO₂ reduced variants, underlining the scalability of the approach.
Eberspächer positions the use of low CO₂ steel as a key lever for reducing Scope 3 emissions, which include indirect emissions generated along the value chain. The company targets CO₂ neutral production by 2030 and full CO₂ neutrality by 2040, with material procurement identified as one of the most impactful areas for emission reduction.
For the bus and commercial vehicle sector, the project illustrates how sustainability goals can be addressed at component level through material innovation and structured supplier collaboration.
