Swedish manufacturer Volvo has made further commitments to a greener future by aiming to use more recycled materials in its vehicles.
It says that 25 per cent of the plastics fitted to the cars will be from recycled sources by 2025, with Volvo also calling for other manufacturers to follow suit.
To show just how that target of using sustainable materials can be met, Volvo built a special version of its XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid, which used recycled materials in place of plastics.
For example, the transmission tunnel console was made from renewable fibres and plastics, the carpets were made from plastic bottles and recycled cotton, and the seats also were made from plastic bottle fibres.
This follows on from the brand’s pledge to stop using single-use plastics at events and on Volvo premises from next year.
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Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive officer of Volvo Cars, said: “Volvo is committed to minimising its global environmental footprint. 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.”
Erik Solheim, the head of United Nations Environment, said: “Extensive recycling and reuse of plastic is vital to our efforts to turn the tide on plastic pollution.
“Volvo’s move to integrate plastic waste into the design of their next fleet of cars sets a new benchmark that we hope others in the car industry will follow. This is proof that this problem can be solved by design and innovation.”
