The BMW Group is putting circular economy and sustainable urban mobility at the centre of its presence at the 2021 IAA Mobility. At the motor show, the company is consistently demonstrating its sustainability and CO2 targets as well as its concrete measures and concepts to achieve these goals.
Munich. The BMW Group is putting circular economy and sustainable urban mobility at the centre of its presence at the 2021 IAA Mobility. At the motor show, the company is consistently demonstrating its sustainability and CO2 targets as well as its concrete measures and concepts to achieve these goals.
More stringent CO2 targets and consistent focus on a circular economy
The BMW Group is increasing the pace of its efforts to combat climate change. Looking ahead to the introduction of the Neue Klasse, the company is further strengthening its self-defined objectives, announced in summer last year, to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, whilst also committing itself to a clear course that supports the 1.5 degree target for the limitation of global warming. The Neue Klasse will also see the BMW Group hugely increase its use of secondary materials with a firm focus on the principles of the circular economy, whilst also promoting better framework conditions for establishing a market for secondary materials.
To achieve a further reduction in CO2 emissions, the focus is on the utilisation phase of vehicles, which account for 70% of the BMW Group’s CO2 footprint. By 2030, the CO2 emissions per vehicle and kilometre driven will be at least halved from 2019 levels. The commitment of all manufacturers when it comes to combatting climate change can best be compared when looking at the entire life cycle of a vehicle, including production and upstream supply chain. Here, the BMW Group is planning a reduction of CO2 emission per vehicle of at least 40%.
“How companies are dealing with CO2 emissions has become a major factor when it comes to judging corporate action. The decisive factor in the fight against global warming is how strongly we can improve the carbon footprint of vehicles over their entire life span. This is why we are setting ourselves transparent and ambitious goals for the substantial reduction of CO2 emissions; these are validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative and will deliver an effective and measurable contribution,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, in Munich on Thursday. “With the Neue Klasse we are significantly sharpening our commitment and also committing ourselves to a clear course for achieving the 1.5 degree target.”
The most powerful driver on this path to climate neutrality is electric mobility, with the BMW Group’s Neue Klasse set to provide significant further momentum to the market. During the next ten years or so, the company will be putting around ten million all-electric vehicles on the road. As early as 2030, at least half of global BMW Group sales will be all-electric vehicles, with the MINI brand offering exclusively all-electric vehicles from 2030.
Against this background, the BMW Group has also almost doubled the delivery volume for battery cells – a volume of EUR 22.36 billion has been agreed with the relevant suppliers for the fifth generation of the BMW electric drive.
BMW i4 and iX as drivers for promoting e-mobility at the IAA Mobility
With the BMW iX and the BMW i4, two important core models of this electric offensive are introduced to the general public for the first time on the occasion of the 2021 IAA Mobility. The BMW iX, the new technological flagship of the BMW Group, is a spearhead in the areas of electromobility and digitisation. BMW eDrive technology of the fifth generation enables locally emission-free driving pleasure with electric four-wheel drive and an extended range. With the BMW i4, all-electric mobility is now available for the first time in a premium mid-range model. Electric mobility has reached the core of the BMW brand. The BMW i4 combines locally emission-free driving pleasure in a particularly sporty style with ample space and the practicality of a four-door Gran Coupe.
Fully electric versions of the high-volume BMW 5 Series and the BMW X1 will follow in the years to come. The same is true for the BMW 7 Series and the successor of the MINI Countryman. In 2023, the BMW Group will have at least one fully electric model on the road in around 90% of its current market segments.
BMW Motorrad is also consistently pursuing an electromobility strategy for metropolitan areas. The BMW CE 04, also presented at the 2021 IAA Mobility, ensures sustainable driving pleasure on two wheels . With its electric drive, future-oriented design and innovative connectivity solutions, the new scooter combines the functions of mobility and communication.
CO2 reduction through circular economy: BMW i Vision Circular shows enormous potential
However, climate friendly mobility is not automatically created through a higher number of electric vehicles on the road. Furthermore, it is crucial to reduce the use of primary material and the related environmentally harmful exploitation of resources and their often CO2-intensive processing – especially when it comes to car manufacturing, one of the most resource-intensive industries.
As part of its holistic approach to sustainability, the BMW Group aims to increase significantly the percentage of secondary materials in its vehicles. On average, current vehicles are manufactured using almost 30 percent recycled and reusable materials. With the ‘Secondary First’ approach, BMW Group plans to successively raise this figure to 50 percent.
With the BMW i Vision Circular, the BMW Group is demonstrating the consistent design of a car according to the principles of a circular economy. The overall design goal of this visionary vehicle was to create a vehicle that is optimized for closed material cycles and achieves a rate of 100% recycled materials or 100% recyclability. In addition to bio-based and certified raw materials, materials that have already passed through a product life cycle – so-called secondary materials – are used for this purpose. This also applies to the energy storage system: The solid-state battery of the BMW i Vision Circular is 100% recyclable and almost completely made from recycled materials. At the same time, it will achieve a considerably higher energy density with significantly fewer of the most valuable resources.
“We have included circularity in our concept right from the start when designing the BMW i Vision Circular. That's why this visionary vehicle is full of innovative ideas that combine sustainability with new and inspiring aesthetics – we call this approach Circular Design,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design. Circular Design is based on the four principles RE:THINK, RE:DUCE, RE:USE and RE:CYCLE.