What’s not to like about this? Renault Trucks announced this week that it was opening a disassembly plant to help extend the life of its trucks. The Renault Trucks’ Used Parts Factory will help repurpose parts from older vehicles in what the company calls a “circular economy.” How does the automaker plan to do that? By harvesting parts off its heavy-duty trucks, of course.

The Renault Trucks Used Parts Factory recycles end-of-life trucks

Renault Trucks wants to reduce natural resource usage by extending the life of its trucks and used truck parts. Thus lessening the environmental impact of the trucks in its lineup. Renault Trucks calls this a “circular economy, applying a three-pronged approach that consists in regenerating, repurposing, and recycling used trucks.”

The automaker takes the used trucks, updates each one with the newest technology, and resells it after reconditioning. This Used Parts Factory is just another way to help recycle trucks and parts to extend the life cycle.

Renault conducted a preliminary feasibility study with Indra Automobile Recycling and ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency.

Renault Trucks Used Parts Factory will remove, clean, and inspect parts that can be used again

This Renault facility is at the manufacturing facility in Lyon–Vénissieux. Renault Trucks will process high-mileage trucks at the end of the life cycle, and staff will remove reusable components. The automaker designed these parts to last a million miles or more. Renault says that in 2021, “the rate of regenerated or repurposed trucks rose to 6% of used trucks sold by the company.”

“The circular economy also cuts CO2 emissions by 14.4 tons for each reconditioned or recycled vehicle.”

Renault Trucks

Someone will remove the pieces approved for use, including the engine, gearbox, cabin, fuel tank, bumpers, and deflectors. After Renault removes those parts, it removes other bits that the company can recycle. Some of the metal extracted from the removed components will be used to make a new truck. The removed pieces will be inspected, cleaned, and labeled for tracing purposes.

You can snag some used parts from this initiative

After the inspection, the parts will be listed on the brand’s spare parts marketplace. Each one will come with a manufacturer’s warranty and be between 50% and 60% cheaper than new products. Not many folks in the U.S. will have much used for heavy-duty Renault Trucks parts, but you never know.

The Renault Trucks’ Used Parts Factory is just starting up but hopes to offer more parts for more vehicles as its disassembly plant continues. Ideally, this initiative will help extend the life of the company’s fleet by being able to use new and used parts to get trucks back on the road.

The automaker helps convert 500 trucks at the Used Trucks Factory each year. Shout out to the Renault Trucks’ Used Parts Factory for helping give these trucks new life and helping the environment in the process.