Sustainability: recycled materials help protect the environment

› ŠKODA uses recycled plastics, metals and glass in the ENYAQ iV
› In future, fibres from sugar beet will be used as fillers
› Covers made of new wool and PET bottles as well as leather treated with olive leaf extracts

Mladá Boleslav, 29 March 2021 – ŠKODA is fully committed to sustainability with the ENYAQ iV, both in terms of its purely electric, zero-emission drive system and also in the choice of materials used. A large proportion of the materials used are recycled – including plastics, metals and glass – which means the Czech car manufacturer is helping to conserve natural resources. In the Design Selection ‘Lodge’, the seat upholstery is made of 40% natural new wool, bearing the Woolmark Company’s seal of approval, and 60% from recycled PET bottles. The leather of the Design Selection ‘ecoSuite’ is tanned in an environmentally friendly way using olive leaf extracts. ŠKODA is also testing fillers made from sugar beet fibres for plastic parts.

ŠKODA is focusing entirely on sustainability as it enters the era of electromobility – this also applies to the selection and composition of the various materials. The aim is to reduce the use of raw materials from non-renewable sources, and to reduce weight and therefore energy consumption. The new ENYAQ iV already uses recycled plastics. These are mainly used for exterior applications, such as underbody covers. The material required for this is reclaimed from old battery housings and bumpers. 20% of the ENYAQ iV’s side window panes are recycled.

ŠKODA continues to develop sustainable materials and is already working on further applications, focusing on environmentally friendly materials that have been reclaimed and contain natural ingredients. This means they have a smaller carbon footprint than conventional raw materials. These natural ingredients include fibres from sugar beet, which are waste products from sugar refining. ŠKODA obtains these from the sugar refinery in Dobrovice near its headquarters in Mladá Boleslav and intends to use them to develop fillers for plastic parts. At the moment, technicians are working on defining the material parameters, as the plastics used in the automotive industry have to meet strict requirements.

Sustainable materials are also used in the ENYAQ iV’s interior. In addition to floor and boot mats made using fibres from recycled PET bottles and sound insulation made from recycled textiles, the ENYAQ iV also offers seat covers made of eco-friendly materials. In the Design Selection ‘Lodge’, these are made of 40% natural new wool and bear the Woolmark Company’s Wool Blend Performance label, reserved for products containing between 30 and 49.9% new wool. The polyester for the remaining 60% of this upholstery fabric has been reclaimed from recycled PET bottles.

„No other fibre can absorb as much moisture as wool. It has a cooling effect, is breathable and also filters pollutants and odours from the surrounding air. The covers of the Design Selection ‘Lodge’ provide an excellent seating climate and offer a very pleasant surface“

Kateřina Vránová, Head of Colour & Trim Design at ŠKODA

The Colour & Trim Design department is closely involved in the development of new plastics and fibres to ensure they match the colour, feel and surface texture of the organic materials already used in the vehicle.

In addition to ‘Lodge’, the Design Selection ‘ecoSuite’ also offers sustainable seat covers. The cognac-coloured leather is produced without the typical use of chromium sulphate-based chemicals. Instead, olive leaf extracts are used in the tanning process. This is sustainable and therefore better for the environment: it makes efficient use of olive leaves, which are considered waste material in other industries. The leather upholstery in seats and other parts of the interior in the ‘ecoSuite’ features a smooth, grained texture. The seats also bear a badge indicating that the leather has been processed in an eco-friendly manner.