Even its paint is meant to be sustainable.
Bavarian hype is at an all-time high right now. The German automaker is getting ready to celebrate the 50th year of existence for its high-performance M division and is going to reveal some awesome products this year. Among them are the first-ever M4 CSL and the all-new M2. The hotly anticipated M3 Touring is also set to be unveiled this year, although Americans won’t get a chance to experience it. But as BMW gears up to celebrate half a century of noise and speed while it’s still legal to do so, the brand is also keeping an eye on the future and has introduced exciting electric cars like the BMW i4. The all-electric sedan will help lower the automaker’s carbon footprint, and it won’t only be the combustion-free powertrain helping to achieve that goal.
BMW
BMW
The BMW Group today announced that it is using “innovative technologies in its efforts to improve sustainability and taking advantage of new options to conserve resources and reduce emissions from painting bodywork.” Every little bit counts and the Group is the first automotive manufacturer to use matte paints made from biomass rather than crude oil at its European plants. Furthermore, the conglomerate’s plants in Leipzig, Germany, and Rosslyn, South Africa are using sustainably produced corrosion protection. This is possible thanks to the use of renewable raw materials including biowaste or waste from sewage treatment plants, which forms the basis of the material that makes up the paints. Thanks to these innovations, a TUV-certified saving of over 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions between now and 2030 is forecasted.
Interestingly, BMW claims that the “corrosion protection and matte paints used at BMW Group Plants Leipzig and Rosslyn are chemically identical to the paints previously used, with all the same properties as conventionally manufactured body coatings.” These two plants produce an average of around 250,000 vehicles every year, so reducing emissions at these sites is critical. The efforts seem to be paying off, as BMW reports a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions as a result. If automakers could all do the same, use carbon neutral tires, and develop synthetic fuels, we may be able to prevent the EV onslaught from depriving us of emotive engine noises. Sadly, legislators – particularly in Europe – seem too obsessed with electric mobility to consider any other alternative.
