The companies have signed an agreement with the aim of developing a business model for recycling end-of-life vehicles.

This is intended to ensure the comprehensive recycling of end-of-life vehicles, according to a joint statement by the BMW Group and Prezero, a circular economy company belonging to the Schwarz Group. As part of the cooperation, the two companies want to leverage the strategic and economic potential of the circular economy in the field of end-of-life vehicle recycling, the statement continues. At the same time, the current challenges facing the automotive industry will be addressed, for example by reducing raw material dependencies and making supply chains more resilient. The development of a business model should lead to end-of-life vehicles being consistently used as a strategic source of materials. As part of the collaboration, innovative and efficient recycling processes for end-of-life vehicles will be tested, brought to series production readiness and new approaches to material flow management will be developed. A central component is siad to be knowledge transfer: the BMW Group is contributing its expertise in ‘design for recycling,’ dismantling and insights from end-of-life vehicle recycling at its own recycling and dismantling centre (RDZ). Prezero will contribute its expertise in European material flows and sorting technologies. In doing so, the company wants also draw on its extensive expertise as one of Europe's leading battery recyclers. The aim is to reuse components and then recover valuable materials such as steel, aluminium, plastics and battery raw materials.
 
Ralf Hattler, Senior Vice President Customer Support and Aftersales at the BMW Group, says of the cooperation: ‘Together with Prezero, we are creating the conditions to design the entire value chain of a vehicle in such a way that materials and components remain in circulation for as long as possible and at the highest quality.’ Carsten Dülfer, CEO of Prezero in Germany, adds: ‘Following the purchase of Europe's largest battery recycling plant in 2025, we are taking the next step with the BMW Group towards establishing a functioning circular economy in the automotive industry.’
 
Sources:

• Press release BMW Group and Prezero (5.2.2026)
• Photo: © BMW