EU ELV Regulation: Circular Economy for Cars Starting in 2026

Circular Economy How Smoothly is the Recycling Process Going?

2026-09-02 By Hartmut Hammer | Translated by AI 4 min Reading Time

The EU aims to make the domestic automotive industry more environmentally friendly and resilient through a functioning circular economy. Unfortunately, many requirements, technologies, and processes have yet to be finalized.

At least half of the material mass of end-of-life BMW vehicles could be reused to make new parts using appropriate processes.(Image: BMW) — At least half of the material mass of end-of-life BMW vehicles could be reused to make new parts using appropriate processes.
(Image: BMW)

The following figures from the European Union illustrate just how significantly the automotive industry influences European raw material flows: 17 percent of steel, 42 percent of aluminum, and 63 percent of platinum are used by the automotive industry. The EU’s new End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Regulation, which is set to take effect in 2026, takes this into account: for the first time, binding requirements for the use of recycled plastics are being established. Furthermore, the remanufacturing and reconditioning of used parts are being promoted.

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