JLR is looking to use recycled content in seat foam to further reduce the environmental impact of its upcoming electric vehicles.
The automaker announced in November that it is working with chemical company Dow and seat specialist Adient to recycled polyurethane seat foamlaborious work that means many items often end up in landfills, according to JLR. The automaker intends to begin testing the recycled seat foam in pre-production vehicles later this year.
Recycled foam will be one piece “round chair” made from materials that can be easily recycled, which is estimated to cut carbon dioxide emissions in half associated with the production of current seats, according to JLR.
JLR is testing recycled seat foam
More emphasis reusing materials rather than throwing them away, the basis of the so-called “circular economy,” is the focus of JLR's dedicated research lab. Researchers in this lab have found that the biggest obstacle to reuse is the difficulty of separating the individual components when the vehicle is disassembled, either because of how they are attached to each other or because of the use of mixed materials in certain parts.
Besides the seats, other areas where Jaguar wants to improve are the front bumper foam, where JLR is testing a new design with a reduced number of polymers for easy recycling, and aluminum body panels. In a recent case, JLR worked with suppliers to recycle scraps from the stamping process to new panels.
JLR is testing recycled seat foam
JLR isn't the only automaker thinking along these lines. Ten years ago, Ford began to include renewables—including recycled jeans– installing sound insulation for its vehicles. In 2021, BMW is showing off a concept car based on the idea of a circular economy, which the automaker says is made of 100% recycled materials and is itself 100% recyclable.
Such efforts are particularly important for electric vehicles, as their lack of “tailpipe” emissions makes emissions from production a very important part of their overall carbon footprint. JLR aims to make its Jaguar range all-electric within the next few years, starting with a six-figure GT car inspired by the Type 00 concept shown in late 2024, which is planned alongside Land Rover's electric models.