Beyond recycling: the opportunity for passenger cars in Europe

This publication, developed in collaboration with Bain & Company, presents circular trends and strategies for the European automotive industry, enabling it to overcome supply chain challenges, decarbonise faster and stay competitive. 

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The European passenger car sector boasts high recycling rates,  but circularity requires more than recycling: cycled materials must also be used as input for new passenger vehicles. Currently, 79% of material inputs for new vehicles come from virgin sources. This paper proposes five circular strategies for the automotive industry to boost circularity to 66% and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, by going beyond recycling and also seeking to reduce material use. It also discusses circularity with regard to trends and forecasts for European mobility, including shared mobility, autonomous fleets and electric vehicles.