Volvo plans to recycle components and reuse parts to reduce its overall emissions, from production to the road.

Volvo says that it will be using entirely recycled parts by 2040, with materials such as metals recycled into new parts like transmissions. It is part of a ‘circular business philosophy that Volvo has already implemented, recycling more than 40,000 parts in 2020 and recycling 95 per cent of waste from its production sites.

The total savings in 2021 alone for the Swedish brand were almost 650,000 tonnes of CO2.

Volvo Cars head of strategy and sustainability, Anders Kärrberg told Autocar: “There are major sustainability benefits of doing this. If you compare a new part with a remanufactured part, you save about 85% of the CO2. There are major benefits in terms of reducing consumption of the virgin material, too.”

“We’re on the track of doubling the consumption of metals and minerals in the next 40 years, and we’re generating more and more waste. This is simply not sustainable. It’s not just that we’re generating waste materials: we’re also generating a lot of CO2.

Other car parts that Volvo plans to recycle include brake components, compressors, and suspension pieces. Looking to the future with electrification, Volvo says it can also recondition EV traction motors and generators, among others. Volvo is also working with Battery Loop, a battery company that will help with transitioning vehicle batteries into a second-stage use outside of vehicles – something that Nissan is doing with Leaf batteries.