India’s first e-waste race car unveiled by Envision Energy in Mumbai

By A Representative

Envision Energy, a global green technology company, in partnership with earthday.org, unveiled India’s first race car made entirely from electronic waste at an event held at The Radio Club, Mumbai. Named Recover-E, the vehicle is the second of its kind globally, following the original Recover-E car launched at the 2023 London e-Prix by Envision Racing and designer Liam Hopkin.

The car was designed and fabricated using common e-waste materials such as discarded mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. Its construction was carried out by Vertex Research Centre, located in Palladam, Tamil Nadu. The initiative aims to highlight the potential of circular design and manufacturing practices, as well as to raise awareness about the environmental impact of e-waste.

According to government data, India generated 1.751 million metric tonnes of e-waste in 2023–24, marking a 72.54% increase from 1.01 million metric tonnes in 2019–20. Improper disposal of e-waste poses serious environmental and health risks due to the presence of hazardous substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium.

“This initiative demonstrates how innovation can align with sustainability,” said RPV Prasad, Managing Director, Envision Energy India. “The Recover-E Car is a representation of our commitment to building a circular, low-carbon economy.”

James Mercer, Commercial Director, Envision Racing, emphasized that the project is a call to action against rising e-waste levels: “It’s a reminder that innovation and sustainability must go hand in hand.”

Karuna Singh, Regional Director (Asia), earthday.org, said, “The Recover-E Car embodies the 2025 Earth Day theme ‘Our Power, Our Planet™,’ and showcases how waste can be transformed into functional, high-impact innovations.”

The launch included a panel discussion on the convergence of energy, sustainability, and the arts. Panelists included environmentalist and cultural figure Arushi Nishank, filmmaker Bauddhayan Mukherji, actor Vinay Jain, journalist Kounteya Sinha, and sustainability strategist Shreya Ghodawat. A musical performance by singer-songwriter Prajna Dutta concluded the event.

The Recover-E initiative builds on Envision Racing’s global campaign to educate young audiences about e-waste and promote responsible consumption. The team also exhibited the car at the World Economic Forum’s 15th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in China, becoming the first Formula E team to do so at a WEF event.

Envision Energy has been recognized globally for its contributions to sustainability, including a place on the CDP A-List, a Gold Medal from EcoVadis, and inclusion in Fortune’s Change the World list. The company achieved carbon neutrality across its operations by 2022 and aims to be fully carbon-neutral across its value chain by 2028.

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