Meet JLR’s new aluminium skin featuring 85% recycled content & 95% more energy efficiency

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), in collaboration with Novelis, has successfully completed large-scale trials of a pioneering aluminium skin alloy. This innovative material contains up to 85 per cent recycled content and offers up to 95 per cent greater energy efficiency in production compared to conventional methods.

Image Source: JLR website

New milestone unlocked

The development of the new aluminium skin alloy marks another milestone in JLR’s enduring partnership with aluminium recycling leader Novelis. Their collaboration dates back to 2008 with the launch of the REALCAR project — Europe’s first closed-loop recycling system.

This initiative enables aluminium scrap from vehicle production to be collected, recycled by Novelis, and reused in new car bodies, significantly reducing reliance on primary aluminium, which is more energy-intensive to produce. The use of Novelis Advanz 5F-s5754 RC alloy, capable of being made entirely from recycled material, started with the Jaguar XE and now extends across the entire JLR lineup.

“This is part of ongoing work by our passionate and dedicated teams in researching and developing more sustainable solutions for our next generation of luxury vehicles without compromising quality or performance. A fantastic result and perfect demonstration of how, through collaboration, we are able to innovate and drive circularity forward,” said Andrea Debbane, Chief Sustainability Officer at JLR.

About the process

The process features a dedicated round-trip rail service between Germany and the UK to enhance efficiency and sustainability. This closed-loop system has saved over US$1 million and reduced CO₂e emissions by 80 per cent compared to traditional road transport.

Demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, JLR is making significant investments in facility upgrades to drive electrification and decarbonisation. By 2030, every model in the Range Rover, Discovery, and Defender collections will offer a fully electric option, while Jaguar will become an all-electric brand. JLR has upskilled over 25,000 employees and partners in electrification and digital technologies to support this transformation through its Future Skills Programme.

“Sustainability has been core to Novelis since our founding. Our fierce commitment to environmental stewardship defines who we are, what we do and why we do it. Since 2016, Novelis has achieved a 27 per cent reduction in absolute carbon emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 and includes an average recycled content of 63% in its aluminium rolled products,” added Novelis.

By 2030, the company aims to raise this figure to 75 per cent through strategic partnerships and ongoing technological innovation. A notable breakthrough includes the successful trial of hydrogen fuel to power a recycling furnace at the Latchford plant in Warrington, UK — cutting CO₂e emissions by up to 90 per cent.