BMW Car2Car project: Targets 50% recycled materials usage for production

KUALA LUMPUR: BMW is set to take its sustainability game one step further with the rollout of a new initiative called Car2Car. Under the new programme, the German marque aims at increasing the use of secondary materials in its new models from approximately 30 to 50 percent.

With funding of EUR 6.4 million (approx RM 31 million ) from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the BMW Car2Car project seeks to explore different sorts of recycled materials that can be used in the manufacture of vehicles. These include aluminum, steel, glass, copper, and plastic. 

The said materials can be collected from used vehicles and recycled through the development of advanced dismantling and automated sorting techniques. This initiative will utilize a total of 500 end-of-life vehicles from Mini, BMW, and Rolls-Royce brands, powered by internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrid, or fully-electric setups.

The automaker and its partners will investigate how the flow of materials within the vehicles can be improved to get better quality recycled materials. Because, as a luxury marque, BMW must ensure that the quality of recycled materials meets the standards expected of high-end vehicles. 

Well, the use of recycled materials for manufacturing new vehicles is not new for the company as the current proportion of these resources stands at around 30%. To achieve the target of 50%, BMW plans to involve recyclability in the design process of new models, which it thinks should simplify the process going forward.

While explaining the importance of the new initiative, Uwe Köhler, Senior Vice President Development Body, Exterior Trim and Interior, BMW Group said, “The BMW Group is focusing rigorously on technological innovations as a driver of greater sustainability in all areas of the value chain. The cumulative know-how of the various partners involved in this project could potentially unlock whole new ways of obtaining valuable secondary raw materials. This would make it possible to save natural resources and reduce carbon emissions when manufacturing our vehicles.” 

Adding to that, Michael Kellner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action said, “The successful transformation of vehicle manufacturers and suppliers is crucial for Germany as a business location. A stronger circular economy that conserves and reuses resources is a key step towards climate neutrality and safeguards supply chains at the same time. Innovation projects in this field are therefore of great importance. The funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs will help to make the automotive industry less dependent on raw material imports and ensure a long-term supply of raw materials for the economy, thereby boosting industrial value creation.”

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