THE Volvo car you can drive will be made up of 25% recycled plastic by 2025.
Having ditched single use plastics from its canteens and events, Volvo is going to ensure that the models it manufactures are built from reused plastics.
As an example of this driver for greater sustainability, Volvo has unveiled a specially built version of its XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid SUV.
It looks identical to the existing model, but has had several of its plastic components replaced with equivalents containing recycled materials.
“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.”
Inside the specially built XC60 is an interior that has a tunnel console made from renewable fibres and plastics from discarded fishing nets and maritime ropes.
On the floor, 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. Used car seats from old Volvo cars were used to create the sound-absorbing material under the car bonnet.
The recycled-plastics XC60 was revealed at the Ocean Summit during the Gothenburg Volvo Ocean Race stopover. The race’s focus on sustainability centres on a partnership with the United Nations Environment Clean Seas campaign, focusing on the call to action ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’.