Mercedes-Benz AG
Mercedesstraße 120
70372 Stuttgart
Germany
Phone: +49 7 11 17-0
E-Mail: dialog@mercedes-benz.com
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Represented by the Board of Management:
Ola Källenius, Chairman; Jörg Burzer, Renata Jungo Brüngger, Sabine Kohleisen, Markus Schäfer, Britta Seeger, Hubertus Troska, Harald Wilhelm
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Brudermüller
Court of Registry: Stuttgart; commercial register no. 762873
VAT ID: DE 32 12 81 763
All information about our products can be found on your country-specific Mercedes-Benz product page.
Holistic “Design for Environment” approach
Our aim is to increasingly decouple resource consumption from the growth of our production output. To achieve this, we are working on closing material cycles to increase the proportion of secondary raw materials (recyclates) in our vehicles and further improve the efficiency of our processes. In this way, we aim to reduce the overall consumption of resources and advance the circular economy.
As part of our holistic “Design for Environment” approach, we incorporate the circular economy into product development from the very beginning. During the development of a vehicle, we create a concept for each model in which all components and materials are evaluated for their suitability within a circular economy approach. We analyze all components and materials to determine their suitability for the various stages of the recycling process.
Lightweight construction is another key element of resource conservation. Through effective lightweight construction, we make our vehicles more economical and efficient. Intelligent lightweight construction can reduce the weight of a vehicle. To ensure high safety and comfort standards at the same time, the right choice of materials is crucial. Additionally, component design and manufacturing techniques also play an important role.
At 35 percent, the body shell accounts for the biggest share of the total weight of a car with a conventional drive system. This is followed by the chassis at 25 percent, the comfort and safety features at 20 percent, and the engine and transmission at 20 percent. Therefore, it is most effective to focus on the body shell.
In the area of lightweight body construction, Mercedes-Benz is increasingly working with aluminum alloys for exterior parts (hood, fenders, roof, trunk lid) and reinforcement components (hood lining, roof reinforcement). Aluminum is not only lightweight but can also be recycled many times without loss of quality. Its recycling process requires only about five percent of the energy needed to produce new aluminum.
The overarching goal of the circular economy is to maintain the value of products, components, and materials for as long as possible. With our measures, we follow the waste hierarchy. The primary goal is to avoid waste. To achieve this, we work on extending the service life of all vehicle components — for example, by using particularly long-lasting materials. Additionally, we use resources efficiently and reduce the use of raw materials that are only available in limited amounts. Only then do we follow with measures for the reuse of various components and parts and for recovering materials through recycling.
This article was last updated in November 2024.
