BMW announced that models that are part of the Neue Klasse vehicles it intends to start launching in 2025 will feature plastic parts made using recycled fishing nets and ropes. Although that may not sound all that new, the automaker is actually using an exclusive technique that is found nowhere else in the automotive industry.
By partnering with Denmark’s PLASTIX, BMW has helped develop a new processing technique that allows old maritime refuse to be transformed into plastic granules. That raw material can then be added to new plastic and molded into trim pieces that are sturdy enough to be installed on the interior or exterior of a vehicle.
You may already be familiar with the concept of recycling fishing nets and ropes, because it has been used in other vehicles, such as the BMW iX and the new X1, as well as in vehicles from other manufacturers like Mercedes.
Read Also: This Gorgeous 1952 Jaguar XK120 Runs On Electricity And Uses Recycled Ocean Garbage Inside
That material, known as ECONYL, is made from maritime waste, material from old floor coverings and residual waste from plastic production. Currently, though, the material is mostly spun into fibers and woven into automotive carpets.
That’s great, but this new strategy allows the recycled material to be used in the injection molding process for the first time. That reduces the use of new plastic in trim pieces by up to 30 percent, shrinking their carbon footprint by around 25 percent. It also means that more old nets and ropes are collected, preventing them from being discarded in the sea.
BMW says that it will use this new, greener plastic in parts that are visible on the Neue Klasse vehicles, as well as those that aren’t starting in 2025. Part of the automaker’s wider environmental goals, it hopes to increase its use of recycled materials in thermoplastics from 20 percent to 40 percent by 2030.
The Range Rover Vision Travel may not spawn a real-life model but it does look quite interesting.
One Hyundai owner claims that her powertrain warranty claim is being denied because she can’t prove she got her oil changed enough.
All of the small details about the new Mercedes-Benz C 300 revealed.
The Eagle sedan and wagon have already shaped the look of modern crossovers, so logic says the drop-top is next for a revival.
According to a new report the turbos won’t kick in until 7,000 rpm.
A total of 2,200 units were planned for the U.S. and Canada, and while they’re all currently spoken for, a waiting list will be opened in case any buyers back out.
Either of these bright green BMW 7-Series models would make you stand out.
The model has been discontinued after the company went bankrupt, but you can still find examples of this quirky vehicle in the used car market.
One of 30 Volkswagens that has been modified for a specific purpose being shown off at IAA Transportation 2022.
This blacked-out SUV is fully customizable and can come with up to 838 horsepower.