Audi has announced it is setting up material cycles to create high-quality granulate materials for use in serial automotive manufacturing.
The car company is launching pilot reprocessing projects for a growing number of materials and components. The objective is to gain experience with as many processing techniques as possible and produce derivatives for future application of particular raw materials.
Audi says material cycles have several advantages, they can reduce demand for renewable and raw non-renewable materials and materials based on material cycles have a more favourable energy footprint.
Audi says it is also monitoring the energy required for recycling – anything that does not make sense from an ecological point of view will not be pursued after the pilot phase.
Audi says it wants to make cycles an integral part of the automotive value chain.
Together with partners from science and industry, Audi says it is researching ways of improving material recyclability and saving primary materials.
In collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute, the car manufacturer is now testing an additional method of recycling plastics and making them usable for mass production.
As part of Audi Environmental Week, Audi says its employees will be focusing on recycling and many other ideas for a more sustainable company. This is the campaign’s second year and it is intended to promote networking, exchange, and interdisciplinary cooperation with the aim of improving Audi’s sustainability performance.