In a groundbreaking move for both the automotive and recycling industries, Fiat has launched the new Grande Panda the first-ever car to incorporate recycled materials derived from used beverage cartons. By doing so, the Italian carmaker has not only reimagined sustainable design but has also opened the door to new applications for recycled polyAl at an industrial scale.
Each Fiat Grande Panda contains the recycled content of approximately 140 beverage cartons, cleverly integrated into visible interior components such as the dashboard, central console, and door panels. These parts are made using Lapolen Ecotek, a polyAl-based compound developed by Lapo Compound, which transforms the thin layers of polyethylene and aluminium (polyAl) found in aseptic packaging into high-performance plastic alternatives.
PolyAl a mix of polymers and aluminium is typically recovered during the recycling of beverage cartons like those made by Tetra Pak. While the paperboard in these cartons already enjoys wide reuse in paper products, the polyAl fraction has remained a greater challenge. That is, until now.
A Material Designed to Be Seen
What makes this innovation stand out is not just the use of recycled content it’s where it’s used. Fiat chose to place these materials in high-visibility areas, not hidden parts, showcasing their aesthetic qualities. The aluminium lends a subtle shimmer, while Lapo Compound’s expertise allowed Fiat to achieve a precise shade of blue for the interior a testament to the compound’s visual and functional capabilities.
This choice isn’t just cosmetic. It aligns with Fiat’s “less is more” sustainability ethos reducing reliance on polluting materials like chrome and leather while removing non-essential components to create cleaner, greener vehicles.
Scaling Sustainability and Meeting Regulation Early
Fiat’s leap forward also positions the company well ahead of upcoming regulations. The European Commission’s End-of-Life Vehicles Proposal sets a target for 25% of plastics in vehicles to come from recycled sources. Fiat, through its partnership with Lapo Compound, is already showing how that target can be achieved without compromising design or durability.
And this is just the beginning. Lapo Compound is exploring further applications of Lapolen Ecotek in products such as outdoor furniture and industrial flooring, signaling widespread potential for polyAl across sectors traditionally reliant on virgin plastics.
Collaboration That Drives Circularity
This innovation wouldn’t have been possible without collaboration. As Kinga Sieradzon, VP of Sustainability Operations at Tetra Pak, noted, “The use of recycled materials from beverage cartons in the Fiat Grande Panda is a fantastic demonstration of their vast potential across multiple industries.”
Giuseppe Crisci, GM at Lapo Compound, adds: “Our mission is to keep valuable materials in use. We’re proud to deliver a solution that proves recycled polyAl is not just viable it’s desirable.”
As the Fiat Grande Panda rolls into showrooms across Europe, it carries with it more than passengers it carries the promise of a more circular automotive future. Through material innovation, design intent, and strategic partnerships, Fiat is proving that sustainability and style can and should go hand in hand.
