Munich, Germany

“Sustainability isn’t just something we do at BMW: We are making BMW sustainable,” Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG.

BMW has looked ahead to the year 2040 to explore options for a sustainable and simultaneously new car.

That is hardly surprising given that the climate crisis has been making itself felt for some time and is forcing the industry to reconsider and recalibrate.

The BMW i Vision Circular uses circular economy principles to expand on the unwavering commitment to sustainability.

With the aim of achieving 100% use of recycled materials alongside bio-based raw
materials, BMW unlocks the new standard of progressive design.

The result is the BMW i Vision Circular—one of five concept cars with which the company wants to reimagine the topic of urban mobility taking into account electromobility, digitization, and sustainability.

Circularity begins by thinking about things differently.

For the BMW i Vision Circular this meant scrutinizing processes and manufacturing technologies and rethinking them with a view to achieving closed materials cycles.

At the same time, BMW gives the materials used a distinctive, aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Here, BMW has rigorously reduced the number of component parts, material groups and surface finishes in the BMW i Vision Circular.

Smart digital control panels reduce both complexity and the use of material, while digital surface treatments enable a reduction in the number of hardware variants in the design.
In specific terms, this can be seen in the omission of materials such as leather and chrome and the absence of an exterior paint finish.

BMW’s concept of Re: use.

One way of extending a product’s useful life is to use digitality to create new experiences.

The display options via digital display surfaces in the exterior and interior of a car allow users to
constantly bring something new to the vehicle’s appearance.

The use of detachable connections makes it far simpler for users to replace individual materials and component parts, allowing them to keep updating the vehicle.

BMW’s concept of Re:cycle.

When it comes to the materials used, the focus with the BMW i Vision Circular is on recycled materials (“secondary first” principle) which can be disassembled quickly and easily at the end of the product life cycle.

Avoiding bonded connections or composite materials significantly increases the chances of the materials at hand being reused and ideally finding their way back into our own production cycle.

The exterior design of the BMW i Vision Circular embodies an engaging, sustainability-focused aesthetic.

The car’s clear mono-volume design is made up of just a small number of parts, with the array of different materials used reduced to a minimum.

The most radical stylistic changes are the engraved brand emblem and the reinterpretation of the characteristic BMW kidney grille as well as the headlights at the front that now emit digital light.

The tires are made of natural rubber with a terrazzo-effect, a 3D-printed steering wheel rim of bio-based materials, and a fender area with a marbled surface of recycled plastic.

The solid-state battery is 100 percent recyclable and is manufactured almost entirely from recycled materials.

Inside, the BMW i Vision Circular seeks to create a luxurious ambiance, employing materials and
production processes that are indicative of a responsible approach to the environment and its resources.

These materials are then connected together using smart new joining techniques (“joyful fusion”) to ensure optimum suitability for dismantling at a later stage.

Reducing the number of components while also grouping functions together creates a kind of “phygital experience.”

This newly coined term refers to turning digitality into a haptic experience.

The interior’s classical instrument panel now makes way for a standout element, both visually and geometrically speaking: the sculptural instrument panel is turned into a next-generation phygital user interface.

As regards digitization, the car points decidedly to the future: In place of the classic instrument panel there is a 3D-printed, crystal body that responds to the movement of the hands and is set in an element of naturally treated wood.

The lower section of the windscreen serves as a platform for the information surface obviating the need for further displays inside. This reduces the hardware that would otherwise be necessary and creating new scope for design options.

Finally, by using mono-materials and forgoing the use of adhesives or compound materials it is possible to completely dismantle the BMW i Vision Circular” down to its individual parts.

To this end, the so-called “joyful fusion” provides quick-release fasteners on rims, seats, and the instrument panel.

Project: BMW i Vision Circular
Designers: BMW AG
Manufacturer: BMW AG