BMW Group Car2Car Recycling Raises Recovery Potential To 51%

BMW Group Car2Car Recycling research has demonstrated that automotive materials can achieve substantially higher-quality recovery when improved sorting and processing techniques are applied. Announced on August 10, the project raised the potential Car2Car rate from 6% to 51%, demonstrating the technical feasibility of recovering materials from end-of-life vehicles at quality levels suitable for use in new products. The Car2Car rate measures the share of material recovered from an end-of-life vehicle that can meet the required quality for incorporation into new products. BMW Group said steel, aluminium, and copper delivered the strongest recycling potential, while plastics and glass continue to present greater technical challenges.

The research showed that several processing improvements can materially influence recovery performance. Better pre-sorting, shredding, material classification, sensor-based sorting, and aluminium separation increased the potential results compared with conventional recycling methods. With standard processes, the overall Car2Car rate reached only 6%, while advanced processing methods increased it to 51%. For individual materials, steel recovery potential increased from 1% to 81%, aluminium from 23% to 52%, and copper from 48% to 68%. These findings demonstrate particularly strong opportunities for metal recovery, while plastics and glass require additional technological development to achieve comparable results.

The findings also point to broader requirements for expanding automotive circularity. Greater deployment would require additional investment in vehicle dismantling, sorting capabilities, recycling infrastructure, and supporting regulations. BMW Group plans to use the project results to strengthen its circular economy strategy and support vehicle designs that enable improved material recovery at the end of their service life. The findings are also intended to encourage greater cooperation across the recycling value chain, including end-of-life vehicle recyclers such as PreZero.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Car2Car research project demonstrate?
The research demonstrated that automotive materials from end-of-life vehicles can potentially achieve much higher-quality recovery when advanced sorting and processing techniques are used. The overall Car2Car rate increased from 6% with standard recycling processes to 51% using improved methods. Steel, aluminium, and copper showed the strongest recovery potential, while plastics and glass remained more technically challenging. The results indicate that better pre-sorting, shredding, classification, sensor-based sorting, and aluminium separation can significantly improve material recovery and support greater circularity in automotive manufacturing.