BMW introduced a 100% recyclable car concept, the i Vision Circular

KUALA LUMPUR: Just like other big automakers, BMW also has some new amazing car concepts on display at the ongoing IAA Mobility Show in Munich, Germany, and one of them is “i Vision Circular.” It is a four-seater EV concept designed according to circular economy principles that personifies the brand’s ambitious plan to become the world’s most sustainable brand in the individual premium mobility space.

This means BMW is not only electrifying its cars and switching to renewable energy for manufacturing, rather it also focuses on circular economy principles and the use of secondary materials. The BMW Circular design incorporates the four principles - RE:THINK, RE:DUCE, RE:USE, and RE:CYCLE.

The automaker detailed the secondary materials to include secondary aluminium and secondary steel that can be obtained by recycling waste material and then reused. This will be less harmful to the environment in comparison to the extraction of primary materials. With this, the company can improve its carbon footprint on the supply chain side. Currently, it is involved in a manufacturing process that utilizes almost 30% recycled and reused material. 

BMW claims that the new i Vision Circular concept is constructed from almost 100% recycled materials and is also 100% recyclable. It features a puristic front fascia with a newly interpreted kidney grille that has a digital surface in place of chrome surrounding with bars. The kidney surfaces also turned into a graphic interface with LED headlights embedded at each corner. 

The brand logo and vehicle badge are engraved with laser-etched to avoid using extra add-on parts, while the bumpers are made of recycled plastic with a marbled surface. Also, the “Vivid Blue Rubber” tyres you see here are made from certified, sustainably cultivated natural rubber.

Inside, BMW uses a mishmash of unique materials with clever new joining techniques that avoid the use of glue to ensure optimum suitability for dismantling and sorting at a later stage. “All components and materials will be manufactured to fit exactly using processes such as 3D printing,” explains the automaker.

The cabin has four lounge seats created with recycled plastic and in place of a conventional touchscreen, it gets a 3D-printed crystal user interface that "reacts to hand movements with an enthralling lighting effect." The vehicle information we usually find on the instrument panel is projected at the bottom of the windshield.

Well, this is just a prototype, and BMW will not be going to turn it into reality anytime soon as it eyes a target of 2040. 

Also read: BMW 330i M Sport vs Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG Line: Which German sports sedan should you choose?