Somewhat surprisingly, at this year’s IAA, BMW decided not to present real new automobiles to customers. However, the study by the BMW i Vision Circular is intended to show how ecologically perfect a car can be integrated into the environmental cycle – in 2040.
If it used to be about performance data, consumption and great emotions, the great sobriety of the future has returned at BMW at the IAA. At the IAA – for the first time at the BMW location in Munich – the Munich Bavarians do not want to be accused of not taking sustainability seriously. The i Vision Circular study will be presented at the fair, which is not only intended to concretise the BMW design language for the next few years, but also shows that environmental protection, sustainability and automotive mobility do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Lots of space in a small area
Visually, the BMW can hardly be recognized as such, because the i Vision Circular does not have a classic bonnet, but rather looks more like a microvan with large glass surfaces and minimal overhangs. The four-seater offers – electrically powered, of course – maximum space in the smallest of traffic areas. The classic radiator grille with the double kidney grille has disappeared and merges into the headlight elements as a communication and design surface. At the rear of the four-door there is also a mighty area of light that surrounds the BMW logo and closes off the large tailgate with an attached Finn antenna. It gets wilder than ever inside the BMW i Vision Circular with a central control unit in the middle of the dashboard, which could have come from a Star Trek film directed by Captain James T. Kirk. There are similar control and design units in the doors and in the steering wheel. The seats in the sofa design from the 1970s, as well as the interior, are made from recycled materials. The headrests act as cushions at the front and back with integrated speakers so that everyone can set their own individual sound system.
The end of the small car
Whether BMW will still offer cars in 2040, one can only hope and after some companies are saying goodbye to the small vehicle segments, the Munich-based company still seems to be planning with compact models. Because the IAA study is supposed to give a realistic outlook on a compact luxury model in 20 years. “The BMW i Vision Circular shows how comprehensively and consistently we think about sustainable mobility. It stands for our claim to be a pioneer in the development of a circular economy limited resources, “explains BMW CEO Oliver Zipse.
Ende des Carbon-Booms
Years ago, more than any other car manufacturer, BMW relied on carbon as an important future building material for its vehicles, but things are now very different. The body of the BMW concept consists almost entirely of recycled materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic and glass. If the proportion of reused components in the current BMW vehicles is almost 30 percent, this should gradually increase to 50 percent. The rate of the IAA study is 100 percent, since the components all come from closed material cycles. This also applies to the solid-state battery, which is not only completely recyclable, but made entirely from recycled materials. Even the tires are made of sustainable natural rubber and have a slightly transparent look, to which colored rubber particles have been added for reinforcement. Well then it should run smoothly.
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
