BMW Group advances circular economy with high material recycling rates

The BMW Group has reported significant advancements in automotive circularity through two major research initiatives: the Future Sustainable Car Materials (FSCM) project and the Car2Car project.

The Car2Car project has achieved a record material recovery rate of 51% from end-of-life vehicles, a substantial increase from the previous 6%. Specific materials showed even higher recovery rates, with steel reaching 81%, aluminum at 52%, and copper at 48%. These improvements were driven by enhanced pre-selection, modified shredding processes, and more precise separation of aluminum alloys.

Complementing these results, the FSCM project focused on reducing the overall environmental footprint by developing new material and component concepts. This research aims to use less raw material while increasing the proportion of recycled metals, such as steel and aluminum, without compromising vehicle safety or crashworthiness. The project demonstrates that technical solutions for more sustainable metal use are feasible for industrial-scale production while meeting strict quality and safety standards.