Audi is taking a step towards more material cycles in the automotive industry with its joint project called ‘Material Loop.’ With the help of 15 partners from the research, recycling, and supplier sectors, Audi is looking into the reuse of post-consumer materials, which are taken from customer vehicles at the end of their lifecycle, from the automotive sector for the production of new cars.
Recycled steel used in Audi A4 production
In October 2022, 100 vehicles were dismantled as part of Audi’s joint Material Loop project and the pilot project will run till the end of April. The company claims to have put valuable findings from the MaterialLoop project into practice, with some materials now being fed back into automobile production.
Audi plans to use the coils to produce up to 15,000 inner door parts for the Audi A4 sedan at the Ingolstadt press plant and the portion of recycled steel from vehicles in the coil claims to be increased further.
Glass, plastic, and aluminum recycling: Audi’s Material Loop
According to Audi, the brand wants to steadily increase the share of recyclates in the company fleet over the coming years beginning with recycling used automotive glass. Car windows that are beyond repair are broken into small pieces, sorted, melted down and turned into new plate glass for the automotive industry. Audi claims that this recycled glass is already used in the production of the Q4 e‑tron.
Through this project, Audi aims to preserve primary raw materials and ensures that the cars enter the use-phase with a better environmental balance.
