Mercedes-Benz uses Sustainable Materials
Luxury of the Future: Mercedes-Benz uses Sustainable Materials
Design for the Environment
Mercedes-Benz is already introducing innovative approaches from the VISION EQXX technology programme into series production. Using sustainable material by UBQ™ made from upcycled, unsorted household waste, Mercedes-Benz are to introduce these into the ongoing series of the EQS and EQE models.
The sustainable UBQ™ material is obtained from the conversion of mixed household waste, which has so far been difficult to recycle and is therefore often thermally processed or ends up in landfill. Feedstock for the material includes food residues, mixed plastics, cardboard and baby nappies. Further applications such as underbody panels, wheel arch linings and engine compartment covers are currently being tested.
At Mercedes-Benz, sustainability begins in the early stages of product development. When developing the vehicles, the composition of all materials to be used is reconsidered and possibilities for more sustainable alternatives are examined. This applies both to surface materials and to materials that are not visible to the customer. Examples in the vehicle interior include sustainably processed leather, the use of materials with a high recycled content and innovative materials of the future. In the body and body shell, Mercedes-Benz relies on CO2-reduced steel, among other things. The vehicles are designed to be as resource-efficient and environmentally friendly as possible throughout their entire life cycle.
From 2025: CO2-free steel
In the next step, from 2025 Mercedes-Benz will use steel that is almost completely CO2-free in various vehicle models, thanks to manufacturing with hydrogen instead of coking coal. Mercedes-Benz is consistently working on the decarbonisation of the supply chain in the use of aluminium; Aluminium production saves more than 90% of CO2 emissions.
The company relies on these innovative technologies that meet the demands of luxury and sustainability, to ensure Mercedes-Benz designs for the environment.