BMW’s Next 3 Series Will Be Made With 25% Recycled Material

Coming Soon to a Dealer Near You

The next-generation 3 Series won’t be long before its world premiere. After months of spy shots, BMW gave a sneak peek of the car still wearing its camouflaged skin. Not long after, it was spotted uncovered in Munich. While no exact launch date has been set yet, it’s only a matter of time before we can see the full car.

It’s exciting news indeed, and the world premiere of any new 3 Series is a big occasion. With that, BMW is showing off more details about the car, and most recently, it’s showing off how this latest generation is the cleanest one built yet.

BMW

Recycled and Recyclable

Like the i3, the next-gen 3 Series will boast more recycled and recyclable materials. BMW calls it a ‘systematic use of secondary materials,’ and it won’t be limited to a few panels. According to the company, it will also use these materials in more heavy-duty components.

For the G50 3 Series, the wheels, swivel bearings, and wheel supports will be made from that material, and the process to form these parts uses renewable resources. This was done to cut down on emissions during parts production and assembly. BMW is also proud that the hood is 70% recycled aluminum, so there’s less waste when building the new car. All in all, the car features 25% of secondary materials, which is presumably more than before.

All of this builds on what BMW has done with the i3, and by extension, the iX3. For those curious, the i3 has 31% secondary material content.

BMW

Not Just the 3 Series

BMW isn’t being selective with what cars get built this way. Previously, the updated 7 Series and i7, along with the fully redesigned X5 built in South Carolina, also used this approach. Of course, we could expect more models to be manufactured in a cleaner way, namely the updated 5 Series, which may be due pretty soon.

Aside from that, the company may be ditching carbon fiber for good down the line. As previewed by the M Neue Klasse Concept, it uses a different kind of natural fiber that’s just as strong as carbon, but can be recycled. With that, BMW is staying ahead of the curve with this material, as the EU has proposed banning non-recyclable materials in vehicles. While carbon fiber has been excluded for now, it could still be included again. Should that happen, BMW will be ready.