Click for more.
The BMW Group said today that the new iX3 uses a “holistic approach to product sustainability” across the entire life cycle. “The approach uses the concepts of secondary first (the prioritized use of secondary materials), strategic material selection and disassembly optimization. As a result, secondary materials account for one third of all material used in the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive,” BMW said in a release. (Read AutoInformed.com on:BMW Group – My Trips Apps Now Show Driver’s Carbon Footprint)*
“During product development, extensive measures were implemented throughout the supply chain, production and use phases, explicitly focused on conserving resources and reducing the model’s environmental footprint. As such, the iX3 Neue Klasse marks an important milestone toward achieving the company’s 2030 and 2050 CO2 emission targets,” BMW said.**
*CO2e benefits achievable after only one year of use
The extensive de-carbonization measures in the supply chain results in an early break-even point: when charged with electricity from the European energy mix, the CO2e footprint of the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive is lower than that of a comparable model with a combustion engine after about 21,500 kilometers (WLTP combined). When charged only with electricity from renewable sources, the BMW iX3 50 xDrive beats the comparable ICE [internal combustion engine] model after 17,500 kilometers (WLTP combined), allowing customers to potentially achieve CO2 emission benefits in as little as one year.
De-Carbonization in the Supply Chain
The key levers to reduce CO2 emissions in the supply chain are the use of secondary materials and renewable energy, alongside product and process innovations. This combination of measures has led to a decrease of CO2 emissions in the supply chain of 35% during product development.
The Gen6 battery cells of the BMW iX3 high-voltage storage system are made of 50% secondary cobalt, lithium, and nickel materials. In addition, renewable energies are harnessed in the anode and cathode materials and cell production. This is how CO2e emissions per watt hour were reduced by 42% compared to the Gen5 cell of the previous model.
“The BMW Group is increasingly focused on the use of innovative and secondary materials in other components as well. For instance, 30% of the secondary raw material used for the engine compartment cover and the storage compartment under the front hatch is recycled maritime plastic. This post-consumer material consists of old fishing nets and ropes, preventing these materials from potentially being dumped in the ocean. Secondary aluminum accounts for 80% of the wheel carriers and swivel bearings as well as 70% of the cast aluminum wheels,” BMW said.
BMW Group’s Debrecen plant
Designed and built according to the BMW iFactory principles, the new BMW Group plant in Debrecen, Hungary, is fully focused on efficiency, digitalization, and sustainability. It is the first BMW Group car factory that is operated and produces vehicles without using fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, under normal operating conditions.
The only energy source to power operations at the site is electricity. According to current planning, up to 25% of the plant’s annual electricity needs can be covered by the photovoltaic system located on the premises. The remaining electricity is obtained from other renewable energy sources. Surplus solar energy is stored in a heat storage unit and used to heat the paint shop ovens as needed. Only 0.1 tons of CO2 are emitted in the production of a BMW iX3 car, about two-thirds below production at other BMW Group plants.
**BMW Group Sustainability Targets
The BMW Group’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and to achieving Net Zero by 2050 or earlier is an integral part of the comprehensive 360° sustainability approach incorporated in the corporate strategy. The company is pursuing ambitious, scientifically derived CO2 emission targets for the coming years. For instance, the BMW Group intends to reduce its CO2 emissions by at least 40 million tons in 2030 (baseline: 2019).
Publicly accessible, TÜV-verified Product Carbon Footprint
The BMW Group has released its vehicle footprint, which includes a greenhouse gas report for its vehicles verified by Germany’s TÜV Technical Inspection Association for years. The report for the new BMW iX3 50 xDRIVE is also available in the My BMW app. It offers increased transparency regarding raw materials used and CO2 emissions over the entire vehicle lifecycle.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
BMW iX3 Production, Supply and Use Sustainability
Click for more.
The BMW Group said today that the new iX3 uses a “holistic approach to product sustainability” across the entire life cycle. “The approach uses the concepts of secondary first (the prioritized use of secondary materials), strategic material selection and disassembly optimization. As a result, secondary materials account for one third of all material used in the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive,” BMW said in a release. (Read AutoInformed.com on:BMW Group – My Trips Apps Now Show Driver’s Carbon Footprint)*
“During product development, extensive measures were implemented throughout the supply chain, production and use phases, explicitly focused on conserving resources and reducing the model’s environmental footprint. As such, the iX3 Neue Klasse marks an important milestone toward achieving the company’s 2030 and 2050 CO2 emission targets,” BMW said.**
*CO2e benefits achievable after only one year of use
The extensive de-carbonization measures in the supply chain results in an early break-even point: when charged with electricity from the European energy mix, the CO2e footprint of the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive is lower than that of a comparable model with a combustion engine after about 21,500 kilometers (WLTP combined). When charged only with electricity from renewable sources, the BMW iX3 50 xDrive beats the comparable ICE [internal combustion engine] model after 17,500 kilometers (WLTP combined), allowing customers to potentially achieve CO2 emission benefits in as little as one year.
De-Carbonization in the Supply Chain
The key levers to reduce CO2 emissions in the supply chain are the use of secondary materials and renewable energy, alongside product and process innovations. This combination of measures has led to a decrease of CO2 emissions in the supply chain of 35% during product development.
The Gen6 battery cells of the BMW iX3 high-voltage storage system are made of 50% secondary cobalt, lithium, and nickel materials. In addition, renewable energies are harnessed in the anode and cathode materials and cell production. This is how CO2e emissions per watt hour were reduced by 42% compared to the Gen5 cell of the previous model.
“The BMW Group is increasingly focused on the use of innovative and secondary materials in other components as well. For instance, 30% of the secondary raw material used for the engine compartment cover and the storage compartment under the front hatch is recycled maritime plastic. This post-consumer material consists of old fishing nets and ropes, preventing these materials from potentially being dumped in the ocean. Secondary aluminum accounts for 80% of the wheel carriers and swivel bearings as well as 70% of the cast aluminum wheels,” BMW said.
BMW Group’s Debrecen plant
Designed and built according to the BMW iFactory principles, the new BMW Group plant in Debrecen, Hungary, is fully focused on efficiency, digitalization, and sustainability. It is the first BMW Group car factory that is operated and produces vehicles without using fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, under normal operating conditions.
The only energy source to power operations at the site is electricity. According to current planning, up to 25% of the plant’s annual electricity needs can be covered by the photovoltaic system located on the premises. The remaining electricity is obtained from other renewable energy sources. Surplus solar energy is stored in a heat storage unit and used to heat the paint shop ovens as needed. Only 0.1 tons of CO2 are emitted in the production of a BMW iX3 car, about two-thirds below production at other BMW Group plants.
**BMW Group Sustainability Targets
The BMW Group’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and to achieving Net Zero by 2050 or earlier is an integral part of the comprehensive 360° sustainability approach incorporated in the corporate strategy. The company is pursuing ambitious, scientifically derived CO2 emission targets for the coming years. For instance, the BMW Group intends to reduce its CO2 emissions by at least 40 million tons in 2030 (baseline: 2019).
Publicly accessible, TÜV-verified Product Carbon Footprint
The BMW Group has released its vehicle footprint, which includes a greenhouse gas report for its vehicles verified by Germany’s TÜV Technical Inspection Association for years. The report for the new BMW iX3 50 xDRIVE is also available in the My BMW app. It offers increased transparency regarding raw materials used and CO2 emissions over the entire vehicle lifecycle.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.