Enyaq iV is Skoda’s most upcycled car

Skoda has said that the Enyaq iV is its most upcycled car to date, with recycled materials now playing an important role in the brand’s entire range.

The electric vehicle features a high percentage of recycled plastics and aluminium in its construction, with up to 40 per cent recycled steel used for the body and as high as 60 per cent aluminium, according to Skoda. Twenty per cent of the model’s side window panes are also recycled.

The Enyaq iV features 13.1kg of recycled plastics on its exterior altogether, including the smooth surface underbody covers, which also enhance efficiency. The recycled plastic, weighing much the same as a new tyre, is reclaimed and reused from battery housings and bumpers.

Its interior has also been created with help from more sustainable materials, such as sound insulation made from recycled bottles as well as floor and boot mats made and remoulded using fibres from recycled PET bottles.

Skoda said the ‘Lodge’ trim grade’s polyester seat fabric is also made from 60 per cent recycled bottles, with the remaining 40 per cent made from eco-friendly natural wool, carrying Woolmark Company’s Wool Blend Performance label – a label reserved only for products containing between 30 – 49.9 per cent new wool.

The Enyaq iV ecoSuite offers a distinctive cognac-coloured leather. This is tanned without the use of chemicals using olive leaf extracts. The leaves are usually considered waste in the food industry and burned, so this helps to make efficient use of them in place of less eco-friendly chemicals.

Meanwhile, the model’s battery pack has been cleverly designed to be reusable and is also 96 per cent recyclable. Skoda said it has developed a second-life scheme for old electric car batteries, installing them in dedicated power hubs to be used for solar energy storage.

Four Skoda retailers in Europe are already powered by battery packs taken from decommissioned Enyaq iV prototypes, with many more retailers expected to follow soon.

As well as the Enyaq iV, sustainable materials and recycling processes are a focus for all Skoda models, as part of its ‘Green Future’ strategy, which aims to improve sustainability throughout the entire chain.