Volvo Cars has announced plans that from 2025 at least 25 percent of the plastics used in every newly launched vehicle will be fashioned from recycled material.
In a bid to “demonstrate the viability of this ambition”, the Swedish automaker revealed a version of its XC60 that has had several of its plastic components replaced with equivalents containing recycled materials.
This particular XC60’s interior has a tunnel console made from what Volvo calls “renewable fibres” and plastics from discarded fishing nets and maritime ropes. The carpet contains fibres made from PET plastic bottles and a recycled cotton mix from clothing manufacturers’ offcuts.
The seats also use PET fibres from plastic bottles, while used car seats from old Volvo models were stripped down to create the sound-absorbing material sited under the bonnet.
“Volvo Cars is committed to minimising its global environmental footprint,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars. “Environmental care is one of Volvo’s core values and we will continue to find new ways to bring this into our business. This car and our recycled plastics ambition are further examples of that commitment.”
Martina Buchhauser, senior vice president of global procurement at Volvo Cars, urged auto industry suppliers to work more closely with manufacturers to develop next-generation components that are as sustainable as possible.
“We do need increased availability of recycled plastics if we are to make our ambition a reality. That is why we call on even more suppliers and new partners to join us in investing in recycled plastics and to help us realise our ambition,” said Buchhauser.
