Volvo Cars has announced its ambition that from 2025, at least 25 per cent of the plastics used in every newly launched Volvo car will be made from recycled material.
The company says to demonstrate the viability of this ambition, it has unveiled a specially-built version of its XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid SUV that looks identical to the existing model, but has had several of its plastic components replaced with equivalents containing recycled materials.
The XC60’s interior has a tunnel console made from renewable fibres and plastics from discarded fishing nets and maritime ropes.
To create the sound-absorbing material under the car bonnet, used car seats from old Volvo cars were used.
On the floor, the carpet contains fibres made from PET plastic bottles and a recycled cotton mix from clothing manufacturers’ offcuts and the seats also use PET fibres from plastic bottles.
Volvo Car Group
Martina Buchhauser, Senior Vice President of Global Procurement at Volvo Cars, said: “We already work with some great, forward-thinking suppliers when it comes to sustainability. However, 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.”
Volvo Cars also aims to have climate-neutral manufacturing operations by 2025 and in January this year, the engine plant in Skövde, Sweden, became its first climate-neutral facility.