BMW Group End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Partnership With PreZero

On February 5, BMW Group end-of-life vehicle recycling took a significant step forward as the company announced a strategic cooperation agreement with PreZero, an international circular economy specialist under the Schwarz Group. The collaboration is focused on developing scalable recycling business models and establishing a closed-loop system for automotive materials.

Closed-loop approach for end-of-life vehicles

BMW Group end-of-life vehicle recycling under this partnership emphasizes extending the life of vehicle components before recycling begins. Components are intended to remain in use for as long as technically and economically feasible, supporting sustainability goals while maximizing material efficiency across the automotive lifecycle.
Once components reach the end of their reuse potential, advanced recycling technologies will be deployed to extract high-quality secondary raw materials. This approach is designed to substantially lower reliance on newly sourced raw materials while maintaining material performance standards required for automotive production.

Focus on high-value material recovery

The recycling processes under development will target critical automotive materials, including:

• Steel and aluminium from structural components
• Plastics used in interior and exterior applications
• Battery raw materials essential for electrified vehicles

These recovered materials are intended to re-enter production cycles, reinforcing the circular economy framework.

Technology collaboration and expertise sharing

BMW Group end-of-life vehicle recycling efforts within the partnership will combine complementary expertise from both companies. BMW Group will contribute its design-for-recycling principles alongside deep knowledge in materials engineering and vehicle manufacturing processes.

Scaling innovative recycling processes

PreZero will bring its experience in European material flows, advanced sorting technologies, and battery recycling systems. Together, both partners plan to test, refine, and scale innovative recycling solutions while introducing new methods for managing material streams efficiently across the value chain.
By prioritizing component reuse followed by targeted material recycling, BMW Group end-of-life vehicle recycling under this cooperation aims to create a sustainable, resource-efficient model aligned with long-term automotive circularity objectives.