Audi Turns Grilles And Different Plastic Waste From Outdated And Broken Vehicles Into Seatbelt Buckles For Q8 E-Tron

Audi discovered an ingenious means of sourcing the plastic for the seatbelt buckles within the new Q8 e-tron SUV. The casings of the buckles are partially manufactured from combined vehicle plastic waste together with grilles, bumpers, wheel hubs, underbody covers, and different elements.

All of it begins with the components being stripped from previous and broken autos which can be past restore. These might be simply accessed from Audi’s supplier community the place numerous autos are being repaired and serviced. The following step entails staff eradicating any metallic clips and different international supplies from the chosen components. Then, the plastic-only stays meet the crusher, the place they’re damaged down into smaller items. Because of a particular chemical recycling course of involving pyrolysis oil, all this junk transforms right into a plastic granulate which can be utilized for producing new components.

Learn: Renault Targets $2.2 Billion Annual Income By Recycling Outdated Vehicles

Whereas Audi’s software is restricted to the manufacturing of a element as small as a seatbelt buckle, the recycled items cut back the price of uncooked supplies within the manufacturing of the Q8 e-tron. This course of additionally extends the lifecycle of fossil supplies that might in all probability in any other case find yourself in junkyards, polluting the setting.

The initiative is a part of the PlasticLoop challenge in collaboration with LyondellBasell, a multinational chemical firm and plastics producer. Audi claims that that is the primary time security elements are being produced on this means, though we’re fairly assured it received’t be the final.

A number of automakers together with Renault, BMW, and Fiat, have proven curiosity in utilizing sustainable, recyclable, and recycled supplies for inside upholstery and exterior panels of their autos. Now we have seen loads of ideas, and we’re anticipating quite a few manufacturing fashions to comply with this development within the subsequent few years. Under, you’ll be able to watch Audi’s video highlighting the recycling course of.