Honda’s 2024 ESG Data Book outlines the company’s plans for recycling of automobile parts, such as batteries, bumpers and floor carpet mats, at the end of the vehicle’s life. 

“Honda is committed to shifting to a recycling-oriented business that uses up products and parts throughout their entire life cycle and recycles them with high efficiency,” the report states. “Circular Design Honda is committed to creating a system premised on recycling, which includes the selection of materials suitable for recycling, easy disassembly and separation design that enables the removal of high-quality scrap, and stable procurement of recycled materials.” 

The company is promoting a new initiative for batteries installed in light electric vehicles (EVs) scheduled to launch this year, it says. This will include upgrading battery monitoring functions and conducting lifetime management through conversion from onboard use to stationary use. 

“The battery monitoring function, which determines the state of deterioration of components and other factors, enables efficient use of resources and reduces the economic burden on automobile users,” the report says. 

The “N-Van e” light EV scheduled for release in Japan in 2024 has been the focus of multiple recycling projects for the company. 

Collected and crushed discarded bumpers from Honda vehicles were revitalized as sustainable materials and reused as accessories for vehicle exteriors and other parts of the van, it says. 

“For the front grille parts, a technology was applied to randomly mix the bumper paint of past Honda models, leaving a rough finish, so that the pattern is unique and attractive,” according to the report.

Recycled material also was used for the van’s floor carpet mats. 

“It is significantly lighter than conventional mats,” the report says. “The use of sustainable materials is an effort to consider recyclability after use and to contribute to a recycling-oriented society in the future.”

It says the company will gradually expand the number of vehicle models to which sustainable materials can be applied. 

Honda’s Japanese used car business launched “Imakore+ (Plus)” in 2023, the report says. Imakore+ is a program to install new Honda genuine accessories into used cars. In January 2024, Honda launched a new upgrade service for the Accord model in its North American used car business. The services enable the functionality of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

“Such refurbishing programs for recovering and improving product value, adding new product value, and providing utilization services will lead customers to use up the products to the end, and increase opportunities to collect end-of-life vehicle products, thereby making more efficient use of resources,” the report says. 

Many companies in the automotive industry, including OEMs and suppliers, have started to explore recycling and reuse of parts as they work toward net zero emissions by 2050 as part of the Paris Agreement. 

Ultra-Poly, a major U.S. plastics recycler, announced last year a bumper recycling process that involves turning fascias into pellets used to extrude or mold new parts. 

A Pennsylvania company, Ansys, has started using simulations to test materials, such as recycled plastic, early in the part’s design process, a JustAuto article reported earlier this year.

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