Jaguar Land Rover launches surfboard from upcycled plastic foam

As part of its Waste to Wave project, Jaguar Land Rover has created a surfboard using recycled plastic derived from early clay design models.

The surfboard was created in partnership with SkunkWorks Surf Co, a surf company with a focus on minimising environmental impact, and tested by the English Women's Open Surfing Champion surfer Lucy Campbell off the coast of Northern Ireland. It was hand-built to the exact dimensions (5'7 x 18 3/8 x 2 3/16) required by Campbell, who is currently competing on the global circuit. It has carbon fibre rails from the nose and a carbon strip from the tail for additional strength, while allowing flex to push through high-intensity manoeuvres.

Polyurethane is used in the manufacture of life-size clay models which are modelled by hand at the very beginning of the car design process. The polymer forms the ‘skeleton’ of the models, which is normally destroyed once a car is launched, while the clay is recycled and re-used on site. Now, Jaguar Land Rover is ensuring that all plastic is recovered and sliced into blocks ready for a second life as surfboards or paddleboards.

The very first surfboard, which was created from a Discovery Sport clay model that was broken down in June 2017, was designed and built by SkunkWorks Surf Co in Northern Ireland.