Automotive manufacturer Volkswagen is planning to dismantle and recycle up to 15,000 vehicles a year at its Zwickau plant starting in 2030, turning the site into the company’s centre of excellence for the circular economy. The company has announced plans to invest up to €90m in the project, with the German federal state of Saxony contributing up to €10.8m.
Under the plan presented this week, used vehicles from Volkswagen Group brands, including both electric and internal combustion-engine models, will be returned from customers and dealerships to the Zwickau plant, where they will be inspected and, depending on their condition, either refurbished or dismantled. Components such as doors, headlights, and engines are to be prepared for reuse, for example in the used car market, while raw materials including metals from electric vehicle batteries will be recovered for recycling.
Andreas Walingen, head of Volkswagen’s circular economy division, highlighted several advantages, explaining, "This will make Volkswagen less dependent on global raw materials markets, reduce the carbon footprint of our vehicles, and create new business models." While he did not give a specific recycling target, experience in other industries indicated that more than 80 percent of materials could typically be recycled, and over 90 percent in the case of batteries, he added....
