Driving Sustainability
Sustainability is a keystone of the BMW Group and its manufacturing and production processes, and the arrival of a new model is always an opportunity to further enhance this sustainability. That’s what’s happening with the arrival of the NEUE KLASSE, BMW’
A New Class, a new plant
The name NEUE KLASSE is a reference back to BMW’s history, when it launched a range of ‘New Class’ models from 1962 onwards. But the modern use of the name is a world away from its predecessor. It signifies the third generation of BMW’s ‘i’ platform for electric vehicles and is the first designed to be used exclusively by EVs.
The platform introduces a different type of battery that requires a new manufacturing process, and BMW has already commissioned a Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre in Parsdorf, Germany, setting new standards in sustainable battery manufacture to help with its production. This is designed to optimise battery cell production in terms of cost, but also prioritises environmental protection.
The plant itself runs on renewable energy, including solar panels on the roof, while research is ongoing into producing fully recyclable batteries, as well as innovative technology — such as more efficient solid-state batteries. This tech will help to make the NEUE KLASSE the most innovative allelectric platform yet.
Setting new benchmarks
The NEUE KLASSE will use new battery cells that increase energy density by more than 20%, while charging speeds and range will grow by 30%, too. At the same time, carbon dioxide emissions generated during battery production will be reduced by 60%. This is a result of suppliers relying on renewable energy, as well as the re-use of so-called secondary materials within raw materials such as lithium, cobalt and nickel going into the assembly of the battery.
But that’s not the only area where NEUE KLASSE sets new standards for sustainability. It’s the next step in BMW’s target of reducing CO2 emissions by 80% during vehicle production by 2030, which will be the lowest level of resource consumption possible during vehicle production. One way that BMW will meet this ambitious aim is to re-use materials during the manufacturing process.
The car itself
Elsewhere, the NEUE KLASSE will see the arrival of a fullwidth head-up display, as previewed on the BMW i Vision Dee concept car seen at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Dee stands for Digital Emotional Experience, and this mid-size car featured a variety of technological innovations. The head-up display projects on to the windscreen as much or as little information as occupants want and should mean drivers are drawn away from paying attention to the road for as short a time as possible.
The NEUE KLASSE will be assembled in plants across the globe, with the first models to roll off the production line in Debrecen, Hungary, in 2025, and BMW’s home plant in
Munich will follow shortly after. BMW has also announced that its plant in San Luis Potosi in Mexico will be geared up to build NEUE KLASSE models from 2027 onwards. This has seen €800 million of investment in the Mexican site to create 1,000 new jobs, but also means a battery assembly facility will be added to the site. And as with all of BMW’s factories, all of its external power supplies come from renewable sources.
Sustainability Retailer of the Year
Closer to home, BMW Ireland is promoting sustainability with a new awards campaign for the BMW Ireland dealer network. The Sustainability Retailer of the Year 2023 is open for entries from retailers or franchise groups that can demonstrate significant and quantifiable improvements across three key sustainability areas in 2022 and 2023: How they manage their environmental impact, how they instil a culture of environmental and social responsibility, and evidence of establishing sustainability standards and strategies. Judges will be looking for retailers that promote a positive attitude towards environmental and social goals, as well as adhering to any governance guidelines that have been established. www.bmwgroup.com/en/ sustainability