MUNICH—In its pursuit of a 100-percent recycled/recyclable vehicle, BMW Group has established a vision, unveiling a concept car that it believes provides insight into the auto industry's future.
Unveiled at IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich was i Vision Circular, a fully electric, four-seat concept car that was one of five BMW rolled out at the event. All of the concept vehicles, the auto maker said, fit the company's vision for a more sustainable and connected society.
Ultimately, BMW said in a news release focusing on the new concept vehicles, the company's goal is to achieve climate neutrality throughout a vehicle's lifecycle. To do this, the auto maker is tapping into electric vehicle concepts, embracing renewable energy in manufacturing and seeking renewable and reusable resources throughout the vehicles' designs.
"At present, vehicles from the BMW Group are manufactured using nearly 30 percent recycled and reused material on average," the auto maker said in a statement. "The 'secondary first' approach is intended to gradually increase this figure to 50 percent."
The i Vision Circular design is a vision for a 100-percent recycled/recyclable vehicle brings together four principals of sustainability, principals the company dubs Re:Think, Re:Duce, Re:Use and Re:Cycle.
"We gave thorough consideration to circularity from the outset during the design process for the BMW i Vision Circular," Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design, said in a news release. "As a result, this Vision Vehicle is packed with innovative ideas for combining sustainability with a new, inspirational aesthetic—we call this approach 'circular design.' "
To achieve its goals, the auto maker reimagined the entire vehicle from the battery to the back tire, relying on new technologies—such as data-based smart mobility for connected driving and 3D printing for the steering wheel—and renewable, recyclable materials.
