In a milestone for sustainable mobility, Fiat has become the first automobile manufacturer to integrate recycled materials from used beverage cartons into a production vehicle. The newly launched Fiat Grande Panda features interior components made using polyAl, a material derived from the thin layers of polyethylene and aluminium found in beverage cartons.
Each Grande Panda contains recycled content equivalent to the polyAl from 140 beverage cartons, incorporated into the plastics of the central console, dashboard, and front and rear door panels.
Turning Beverage Cartons Into Automotive-Grade Materials
Beverage cartons typically comprise 70% paperboard, 25% polymers, and 5% aluminium, a combination that provides robust protection for food and beverages without the need for preservatives or refrigeration. While the paperboard is widely recycled into items like napkins, tablecloths, and toilet paper, leveraging the remaining polyAl fraction has required new innovation and collaboration.
To address this, Tetra Pak has worked with compounders and recyclers to expand commercial applications for polyAl. The material used in Fiat’s components, Lapolen Ecotek, produced by Lapo Compound, demonstrates how polyAl can now meet strict automotive requirements.
Fiat selected this material not only for its sustainability benefits but also for its aesthetic qualities, including a naturally shimmering effect created by recycled aluminium. Lapo Compound further tailored the compound to match Fiat’s precise interior blue shade.
Supporting Fiat’s “Less Is More” Sustainability Philosophy
The initiative aligns with Fiat’s mission to design more sustainable and more affordable vehicles by eliminating unnecessary components and reducing the use of environmentally intensive materials such as chrome and leather.
The Grande Panda is already available in most European countries and will be rolled out to markets outside Europe by the end of the year demonstrating the scalability of polyAl for the automotive sector.
Ahead of European Sustainability Targets
By adopting polyAl, Fiat is moving ahead of the EU Commission’s End-of-Life Vehicles Proposal, which calls for 25% of all plastics in vehicles to come from recycled sources. Lapolen Ecotek helps the industry meet this target by offering recycled compounds that maintain the consistency and performance required in large-scale manufacturing.
Beyond automotive applications, Lapo Compound is testing polyAl-based materials for outdoor furniture, factory flooring, and other durable uses.
Leaders Speak on Circular Innovation
Giuseppe Crisci, General Manager at Lapo Compound, said:
“We believe in creating products that not only meet strict quality standards but also contribute to a circular economy by keeping valuable materials in use. Our innovation for Fiat proves that sustainable materials can meet demanding technical requirements.”
Kinga Sieradzon, Vice President of Sustainability Operations at Tetra Pak, added:
“The use of recycled materials from beverage cartons in the Fiat Grande Panda showcases their vast potential across industries. It’s a powerful example of how collaboration can drive systemic change and expand end markets for recycled materials.”