Ford will offer car owners free take-back on unwanted vehicles when the end of life vehicles directive comes into force in a move that could prompt other vehicle manufacturers to follow suit.

Ford's scheme will include so-called 'negative value' vehicles, where the cost of dismantling is higher than the value of the vehicle – despite the blue oval's well documented financial losses.

Speaking at the ELV Directive Conference organised by Materials Recycling Week, Mike Rivers, ELV manager for Ford in the UK and Ireland, said: “This is a clear commitment from Ford. If it means we take back every single car, then so be it.”

As well as the 6.5m Ford-badged vehicles on UK roads, the car giant says it will take back any vehicle it has put on the market through brand ownership, including Mazda, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo and Land Rover models.

Rivers says the manufacturer is fully prepared to bear the potentially massive costs.

“We are already prepared to manage the costs of handling qualifying vehicles. We will pay – that is unequivocal – but we will control costs. All Ford wants is value in the marketplace. Provided vehicles are complete, contain no additional waste and are delivered to Ford appointed take-back stations, we will take them back.”

Fears that consumers will be forced to bear the cost of take-back schemes on end of life vehicles were dispelled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Stephen Franklin, SMMT senior technical manager, says: “Manufacturers will not simply add on costs to the price of new vehicles. Market forces will simply not allow it.”

Franklin stands by the own-marque scheme where each manufacturer is responsible for their vehicle parc and for contracting a network of authorised treatment facilities (ATFs) to provide free take-back.