Mercedes-Benz and TSR launch «urban mining» project for car recycling in Germany
Mercedes-Benz opens pilot site for recycling end-of-life vehicles under Ambition 2039
Mercedes-Benz and TSR launch «urban mining» project for car recycling in Germany
Mercedes-Benz and TSR start an «urban mining» pilot in Germany to recycle cars and boost secondary raw material use up to 40% by 2035.
2025-08-21T13:42:20+03:00
2025-08-21T13:42:20+03:00
2025-08-21T13:42:20+03:00
Mercedes-Benz, together with TSR Group, has opened the first pilot site for collecting end-of-life vehicles in northwest Germany. The «urban mining» project, launched in the summer of 2025, aims to establish a closed-loop recycling system for valuable raw materials.
The process is simple but strategic: vehicles of any brand are dismantled, with hazardous substances and reusable components removed. Materials such as steel, aluminum, plastics, copper, and glass are then processed using TSR’s innovative recycling technology. These high-quality secondary raw materials are fed back into the production chain via selected suppliers.
According to Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management at Mercedes-Benz, the company’s vision of sustainable mobility requires reducing the use of primary resources. By 2035, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the share of recycled materials in its vehicles to 40%, in line with the Ambition 2039 strategy for a net carbon-neutral fleet throughout its lifecycle.
A key focus of the project is to avoid «downcycling,» where material quality is lost in the recycling process. Instead, the initiative seeks to preserve high-grade resources for reuse in future model lines. The partnership with TSR highlights how industrial cooperation can close resource loops, secure sustainable supplies, and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.
Ultimately, this pilot project not only helps Mercedes-Benz cut CO₂ emissions but also sets a blueprint for integrating post-consumer materials into automotive production on a larger scale.
mercedes-benz,tsr,urban mining,car recycling,ambition 2039,secondary raw materials
2025
Michael Powers
news
Mercedes-Benz opens pilot site for recycling end-of-life vehicles under Ambition 2039
Mercedes-Benz and TSR start an «urban mining» pilot in Germany to recycle cars and boost secondary raw material use up to 40% by 2035.
Michael Powers, Editor
Mercedes-Benz, together with TSR Group, has opened the first pilot site for collecting end-of-life vehicles in northwest Germany. The «urban mining» project, launched in the summer of 2025, aims to establish a closed-loop recycling system for valuable raw materials.
The process is simple but strategic: vehicles of any brand are dismantled, with hazardous substances and reusable components removed. Materials such as steel, aluminum, plastics, copper, and glass are then processed using TSR’s innovative recycling technology. These high-quality secondary raw materials are fed back into the production chain via selected suppliers.
According to Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management at Mercedes-Benz, the company’s vision of sustainable mobility requires reducing the use of primary resources. By 2035, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the share of recycled materials in its vehicles to 40%, in line with the Ambition 2039 strategy for a net carbon-neutral fleet throughout its lifecycle.
A key focus of the project is to avoid «downcycling,» where material quality is lost in the recycling process. Instead, the initiative seeks to preserve high-grade resources for reuse in future model lines. The partnership with TSR highlights how industrial cooperation can close resource loops, secure sustainable supplies, and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.
Ultimately, this pilot project not only helps Mercedes-Benz cut CO₂ emissions but also sets a blueprint for integrating post-consumer materials into automotive production on a larger scale.
