Mercedes-Benz is using aluminium produced with renewable power and recycled content to reduce carbon emissions in its latest line of electric vehicles, as part of the carmaker’s broader decarbonisation strategy.
The low-carbon aluminium, supplied by Norwegian metals producer Norsk Hydro, is being deployed in the new electric CLA model. The collaboration reflects how premium consumer brands are increasingly willing to pay more for environmentally friendly materials to enhance their sustainability profile.
Gunnar Guthenke, Vice-President of Procurement and Supplier Quality at Mercedes-Benz, said: “There are of course extra costs from using an especially low-carbon steel or aluminium. Sustainability and desirable products, such as the ones we produce, simply go hand in hand.”
The new CLA model is manufactured with 40 per cent fewer CO2 emissions than its non-electric predecessor, the companies said.
Although the firms declined to disclose cost details, they stressed that partnerships are essential to share the financial burden of decarbonising value chains, so neither manufacturers nor customers shoulder it alone.
Eivind Kallevik, Chief Executive of Norsk Hydro, said: “We are seeing a growing demand for low-carbon products. The premium is not deterring buyers, even in a more challenging aluminium market in recent years marked by low economic growth.”
At Norsk Hydro’s Aardal plant on Norway’s coast, aluminium is produced with just 3 kg of CO2 per kilogram of metal, compared with a global average of 16.7 kg. Around one quarter of the mix comes from recycled scrap, further reducing reliance on primary aluminium from energy-intensive smelters.
Mercedes-Benz, which has faced past criticism from climate campaigners over its environmental footprint, regards the move as a key step towards embedding sustainability across its supply chain while meeting rising consumer demand for low-carbon products.
