AUTONEWS

Audi focuses entirely on recycling: goodbye waste, hello circular economy

The car industry is changing, and Audi does not want to stand by and watch. The goal of the German company remains to say goodbye to waste and transform end-of-life vehicles into raw materials for the future. The four-ring brand has in fact decided to seriously invest in the circular economy, focusing on the use of secondary materials in its models and creating a real virtuous cycle for steel and other recycled components.

Starting in 2025, Audi will make thousands of pre-production vehicles available, destined for a dismantling process and transformation into high-quality materials for the automotive industry. All thanks to the collaboration with TSR Resource, experts in the recovery of scrap metal. This is how we are working on a structured and economically sustainable recycling system.

Audi does not limit itself to recycling to "look good", but wants to revolutionize the entire production process. The German company is developing a closed supply chain for steel and other materials, ensuring that components from old vehicles are brought back to life in new generations of cars. How does it work? End-of-life cars are dismantled and shredded by TSR Resource.

The recycled materials (mostly steel) are processed into high-quality raw materials. Audi receives credits on a digital material account, a system that allows these resources to be distributed to its suppliers in a more fair and transparent way. Audi's partners will be able to access these recycled materials, reducing costs and price fluctuations. Ultimately, a smart and strategic system that allows it to reduce dependence on new raw materials and the crazy fluctuations of the global market.

Audi is not content to recycle only when it is convenient. It is creating an entire ecosystem that will guarantee recycled raw materials without compromising the quality of its vehicles. In this way, the supply chain is more robust and less vulnerable to fluctuating raw material prices, precisely because of the greater independence from global markets, reducing the risks associated with crises or scarcity of resources. The resulting cars are significantly more sustainable and uncompromising.

Recycling does not have to mean lower quality, and Audi has already taken concrete steps in this direction, with projects such as GlassLoop (which uses recycled glass for the windshields of the Audi Q4 e-tron) and SteelLoop (which reuses steel for the roof of the Audi Q6 e-tron). Now, with the new recycling plan, the German brand wants to expand this strategy on a large scale.

Renate Vachenauer, Audi Board Member for Purchasing, says: “Recycling has enormous potential. We are constantly increasing the use of recycled materials in our vehicles. With our digital credit system, Audi is revolutionizing the way in which recycled raw materials are purchased, making it more independent of the market. We are showing that sustainability and economy can go hand in hand.”

Christian Blackert, CEO of TSR Resource, expressed satisfaction: “We are delighted to collaborate with Audi on a project that represents a new benchmark in automotive recycling. We reduce dependence on fragile supplies and ensure quality materials for new generations of vehicles”.

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