While most automakers have been previewing their next fleet of electric cars, BMW is looking much further with the I Vision Circular, which was unveiled at the 2021 IAA auto show in Munich.
“The BMW i Vision Circular … symbolizes our ambition to be a pioneering force in the development of a circular economy,” said BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse. That means a focus on recycling all the components and raw materials in tomorrow’s vehicles, according to Zipse, who added ”the current trend in commodity prices clearly shows the financial consequences in store for any industry that is reliant on finite resources.”
This hatchback concept foreshadows the small BMWs of the 2040s and serves as a demonstration of BMW’s ambitions for producing environmentally friendly yet luxurious vehicles.
Senior Ethan Walz (‘22) is a little disappointed seeing the company turn away from their track-rooted performance cars saying that “I assume that this is how they start phasing out their gas-guzzling M performance line into an autonomous electric future.”
The four-seat concept is roughly 20 inches shorter than the 2-series Gran Coupe, which is BMW’s smallest current vehicle in the United States at around 157 inches long. The I Vision Circular, on the other hand, is roomy on the inside thanks to its electric powertrain and pod-style appearance.
The concept mainly focuses on minimizing the total amount of components and using recycled materials for the remaining elements. The design ended up being 100 percent recyclable, including the solid-state battery, which is made almost entirely of recycled material. BMW’s environmental approach is shown in the vehicle’s core, as it eliminates bonded connections and composite materials in the vehicle’s structure.
Instead of choosing for cables, press studs, and quick-release fasteners, which make it easier to break down and recycle. The bulk of the body is made up of recycled aluminum finished in light anodized gold transitioning to a deep blue hue at the rear. The trademark kidney grille was converted into a digital component with a slick design that aims to mimic the trademark signature of BMW grilles. The company claims this new digital element may be used to show car information to approaching passengers. The trim elements at the bottom are made of recycled plastic with a marbled appearance, and the tires, which have a little blue tinge, are made of sustainably grown natural rubber, according to BMW.
The interior has a soothing color palette, with the floor and door panels in light mint green and the seats in a soft violet recycled fabric. It features accents in the same gold bronze as the body, which is a nice way to tie aspects from the exterior to the interior. A glass canopy provides an open cabin, and the front seats are designed to feel like lounge chairs. Instead of an instrument panel, the dashboard has a 3D-printed crystal sculpture with a dazzling lighting effect. BMW describes this as, “where the vehicle’s ‘thinking’ is depicted,” but does not elaborate on what that may imply.
With a set date so far in the future, the I Vision Circular may appear to be a fantasy. However, BMW claims that the concept’s approach helps them raise the amount of recycled and reused material in each of their vehicles from 30 to 50 percent. While it doesn’t explicitly show the upcoming line of electric cars, the concept’s sustainable ideology will also guide the development of these upcoming vehicles.
