BMW SUSTAINABILITY

A lithium-ion battery comprises the four components of cathode, anode, separator and electrolyte. Key factors in the quality of the battery are the precise quantities and in turn the quality of the constituent parts – but also how the individual components are combined and processed.

Through the use of regenerative raw materials and natural fibres, recycled plastics, vegan alternatives to leather as well as recyclable textiles, the BMW Group is aiming to heighten general awareness of sustainable materials and offer transparent insight into its path towards a sustainable future.
 

From the viewpoint of the BMW Group, only a holistic approach in dealing with established and new materials will be able to sustainably reduce CO2 emissions in the long run. For this reason, the BMW Group is not only accelerating the successful development of a market for secondary materials but is also intensifying the collaboration with innovative start-ups in the field of future-oriented materials.

Under the heading “Design for Recycling”, the BMW Group sees the development and production of every new BMW vehicle as laying the foundations for an environmentally compatible method of recycling. This also includes end-of-life high-voltage batteries in electric vehicles. In addition to a secondary usage as stationary electricity storage for stabilising the public electricity grid, the BMW Group is also working with various partners to develop recycling and the establishment of closed material cycles (circularity) for battery cells.

The BMW Group Plant Spartanburg uses the methane gas from the neighbouring landfill site to meet up to 25% of its own energy demand by means of a combined heat and power plant. Every year, 400 solar modules produce a further 135 MWh of green electricity.

The Debrecen plant was planned and developed as a BMW iFACTORY from the ground up. With the BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group aims at responsible production and use of resources. Even today, the BMW Group obtains energy from renewable energy suppliers around the world for its sites and operates based on the concept of circular economy.

In 2021, the BMW Group Plant Chennai collected some 13 million litres of rainwater – and was thus able to meet roughly 90% of its annual water demand. During the same period, the plant’s solar facility supplied more than 60% of energy needs.

The BMW Group Plant Rosslyn obtains its electricity from a biogas plant linked to a large beef cattle farm situated approximately 100 km away. Dung from the roughly 30,000 animals supplies up to 30% of the local power requirement. Furthermore, the paint shop – like its counterpart in Leipzig – uses sustainably produced anti-corrosive coating, which reduces CO2 emissions by 40% compared with coatings from fossil-based sources.