2025 Earth Day: Sustainable Materials Used By Car & Bike Manufacturers

Auto companies have been recycling plastic bottles to make cars, bikes, tyres and even riding gears. While some have been in this sustainable business for quite some time now, there are others who have been pushing for sustainable steps to preserve the planet very recently. So, on this 2025 Earth Day, we take a look at some of the examples of significant innovations in sustainability across the automotive sector.

Cars

Several car manufacturers have incorporated recycled materials into their vehicles. Nissan's Leaf utilises recycled PET bottles for upholstery, while also incorporating recycled materials in its electrical components. The Toyota Prius and Kia Soul EV feature seats made from bioplastics, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee's cabin employs recycled plastic elements too.

Volvo, known primarily for safety, has committed that 25 per cent of all its vehicles will contain recycled plastic materials from 2025 onwards. But perhaps the most ambitious step was taken by Citroën with the Oli concept car, which employs recyclable materials for both external body panels and interior components. The French marque says that it has decided to design the car like this for easy repair and replacement.

(Also Read: Tech Giants Bringing Sustainability to Their Practices and Products)

Bike

Two-wheeler manufacturers are also embracing sustainability. Yamaha uses recycled polypropylene on its commuter motorcycles and scooters for ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) markets. While Ducati claims that 90 per cent of its bikes incorporate recycled plastic, rubber, metals and even electrical components.

Riding Gears

Closer to our home, Royal Enfield has become the first domestic two-wheeler manufacturer to produce sustainable riding gear. Their Streetwind Eco Riding jacket is manufactured using 75 PET bottles while maintaining safety standards with proper armour, all for just ₹6,000.

(Also Read:  Mercedes-Benz R&D Launches Sustainability Garage Initiative)

Tyres

The tyre industry is following suit, with Continental leading sustainable innovation since 2022. Their patented ContiRe.Tex technology, which uses polyester yarns extracted from PET bottles, features in the company's PremiumContact 6 and EcoContact 6 summer tyres, as well as their AllSeasonContact range.

These developments demonstrate how the automotive sector is increasingly finding ways to reduce environmental impact while maintaining performance and safety standards.