{"id":97803,"date":"2021-09-30T07:35:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T05:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rss.nova-institut.net\/public.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.plasticsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fbmw-concept-sustainable-car-future"},"modified":"2021-09-27T15:19:13","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T13:19:13","slug":"the-bmw-i-vision-circular","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/the-bmw-i-vision-circular\/","title":{"rendered":"The BMW i Vision Circular"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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With the BMW i Vision Circular, the BMW Group is looking ahead to a compact BMW for the year 2040 that is focused squarely on sustainability and luxury. The four-seater is fully electrically powered and offers a generous amount of interior space within its around four-metre-long footprint. It has furthermore been designed according to circular economy principles across the board and therefore symbolises the BMW Group\u2019s ambitious plan to become the world\u2019s most sustainable manufacturer in the individual premium mobility space.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Vision Vehicle is one of five different concept vehicles with which the BMW Group is presenting how it envisages individual urban mobility at the IAA Mobility 2021 event. Under a single umbrella spanning electric mobility, digitalisation and sustainability, the five pioneering concepts create a versatile mobility mix on two and four wheels fuelled by sustainable thinking, which comprehensively addresses an extremely wide range of mobility needs in the face of fast-changing requirements and growing challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circular economy and secondary materials cut CO2 emissions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The BMW Group\u2019s overriding aim as it strives to achieve climate neutrality is to reduce CO2 emissions throughout a vehicle\u2019s entire life cycle. Besides electrifying the product portfolio and switching to renewable energy for manufacturing, the company is focusing particularly on circular economy principles and the use of secondary materials. These materials, such as secondary aluminium and secondary steel, can be obtained by recycling waste material and then reused. The process for supplying secondary materials is far less harmful to the environment and carbon intensive compared to the extraction and manufacture of primary material. This can bring about a major improvement in a vehicle\u2019s carbon footprint, especially on the supply chain side. At present, vehicles from the BMW Group are manufactured using nearly 30 per cent recycled and reused material on average. The \u2018secondary first\u2019 approach is intended to gradually increase this figure to 50 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe BMW i Vision Circular illustrates our all-encompassing, meticulous way of thinking when it comes to sustainable mobility. It symbolises our ambition to be a pioneering force in the development of a circular economy,\u201d explains Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. \u201cWe lead the way for resource efficiency in production and we are seeking to extend this status to all stages of the vehicle life cycle. This is a question of economic sustainability too, as the current trend in commodity prices clearly shows the financial consequences in store for any industry that is reliant on finite resources.\u201d He adds, \u201cWe will take the next big step towards achieving this with the \u2018Neue Klasse\u2019 models. We appreciate there are many BMW fans longing for a first foretaste of the \u2018Neue Klasse\u2019, but the BMW i Vision Circular isn\u2019t it. I can promise, however, that, on a sustainability level, the \u2018Neue Klasse\u2019 is being developed with the same mindset applied for the BMW i Vision Circular.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The overriding design aim for the BMW i Vision Circular was to create a vehicle that is optimised for closed materials cycles and achieves 100% use of recycled materials \/ 100% recyclability. This involves making particular use of materials that have already completed a product life cycle \u2013 or secondary materials as they are known \u2013 alongside certified bio-based raw materials. The same applies to the energy storage device: the all-solid-state battery in the BMW i Vision Circular is 100 per cent recyclable and manufactured almost entirely using materials sourced from the recycling loop. It will achieve much higher energy density with significantly reduced use of the most valuable resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circular design \u2013 a new approach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe gave thorough consideration to circularity from the outset during the design process for the BMW i Vision Circular. As a result, this Vision Vehicle is packed with innovative ideas for combining sustainability with a new, inspirational aesthetic \u2013 we call this approach \u2018circular design\u2019,\u201d explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design. Circular design embraces the four principles of RE:THINK, RE:DUCE, RE:USE and RE:CYCLE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RE:THINK. <\/strong>Circular product design begins by thinking about things differently. For the BMW i Vision Circular this meant scrutinising processes and manufacturing technologies and thinking differently. The function performed by each component part up to now was examined, after which the part was removed without replacement or cleverly repackaged where appropriate and then designed to enable closed materials cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RE:DUCE. <\/strong>\u201cI do more with less\u201d has long been an integral part of the BMW i philosophy. The BMW i Vision Circular demonstrates this through the rigorously applied reduction in the number of component parts, material groups and surface finishes, dispensing completely with exterior paintwork, leather and chrome, for instance. Materials from bio-based raw materials also help to minimise environmental impact and contribute to a smaller carbon footprint. As far as the digitalisation features are concerned, smart control panels reduce both complexity and the use of materials. In addition to this, digital surface treatments enable a reduction in the number of hardware variants at the same time as opening up whole new possibilities for design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RE:USE. <\/strong>Ideally, a sustainable product will have a long lifespan, with a rich and enjoyable product experience making people a lot more enthusiastic about using the product \u2013 and using it for longer. One way of ensuring this happens is by incorporating digitality to create new experiences. The display options via digital display surfaces in the exterior and interior of a car and the availability of \u201coption as a service\u201d allow users to constantly bring something new to the vehicle. Constant updates over the air and cloud computing keep the product technically up to date for longer. And the vehicle\u2019s life cycle can also be extended by refurbishing and re-design. Easily detachable connections make it far simpler for users to replace individual materials and component parts, allowing them to keep restyling the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RE:CYCLE. <\/strong>When it comes to the materials used, the focus with the BMW i Vision Circular is on recycled materials (\u201csecondary first\u201d approach) which are intended to be reused again at the end of the product life cycle. Having a small number of different mono-material groups with connections that can easily be undone is crucial for good recycling. For this reason, the BMW i Vision Circular avoids bonded connections or composite materials and uses intelligent types of connection, such as cords, press studs and quick-release fasteners, instead. It showcases a purpose-developed, aesthetically appealing quick-release fastener for the wheels, seats and instrument panel that creates a \u2018joyful fusion\u2019. The laser-etched graphic in the centre of the quick-release fastener is made up of the letters of the word \u201ccircular\u201d arranged in the form of a circle. A special socket wrench separates the component parts joined by the fastener with a single rotation. The \u2018joyful fusion\u2019 fastener creates a theft-proof and stable connection and, at the same time, allows many component parts of the vehicle to be dismantled with just a single tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBMW has always known how to resolve apparent contradictions in its products,\u201d explains Domagoj Dukec, Head of BMW Design. \u201cWith the BMW i Vision Circular, we have set ourselves the challenge of designing a 100% circular vehicle, while at the same time meeting \u2013 and in some respects exceeding \u2013 our customers\u2019 self-evident expectations when it comes to lifestyle and luxury.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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