BMW is turning the heat up on its quest to be renewable and sustainable. Many manufacturers are going to great lengths to heighten their environmental friendliness. However, the span of actions being taken goes far beyond just developing hybrids and electric vehicles. Many companies are changing their materials, sources, and manufacturing procedures in the name of environmental protection.

BMW wants to produce vehicles with “100 percent green power”

According to The Drive, BMW recently announced its plans to change up the way it produces wheels for the iconic German vehicles. Starting in 2023, BMW will produce its wheels using 70 percent recycled aluminum.

The recycled aluminum is melted in a furnace and formed into bars. Then, it goes to a recycling center and once again melted for casting into new aluminum wheels.

The use of recycled aluminum is a big step in its own right. However, BMW sources its new aluminum from an environmentally conscious place, too. Since 2021, all of BMW’s new aluminum deliveries have come from a UAE-based company that uses strictly solar power for its production facility. So, the combination of recycled aluminum and responsibly-sourced aluminum sets a high standard for automakers.

It seems, then, that BMW is taking its pledge toward environmental friendliness very seriously. The company states that it intends to reduce its overall emissions throughout the supply chain by 20 percent before 2030. This is undoubtedly a good step in the right direction!

BMW states that this switch to a majority of recycled aluminum will cut its CO2 emission by 500,000 tons per year. That’s a pretty substantial amount, considering BMW also says that it produces over 10 million wheels annually. Overall, BMW says the production of wheels accounts for five percent of all supply chain emissions.

This is a foundation-laying step in BMW’s ultimate goal to produce their vehicles with “100 percent green power.” The intention of this thinking is to use materials sourced only from companies using green energy in factories.

The German icon isn’t the only company striving for environmental friendliness

Like BMW, Ford is also doing its part to recycle aluminum. The drive states that Ford declared it recycles enough aluminum every month to produce the body for 30,000 F-150 pickups.

Of course, many manufacturers also have stated their intentions to go fully electric in years to come. Many companies are switching flagship models to hybrid or even fully electric powertrains. For example, Porsche recently announced that the 718 Boxster and Cayman will be fully electric by the end of the decade.

Ultimately, the turn toward renewable energy can seem a bit disappointing on paper to fans of the internal combustion engine. However, on the contrary, many people theorize that the world switching primarily to electric cars could prolong the life of gasoline vehicles. A reduction in emissions could leave the door open for classics, race cars, and more to be enjoyed without guilt.

Furthermore, many companies like Lamborghini are keeping their iconic engines around while still reducing emissions through the use of hybrid systems. So, don’t fear the future; embrace it! As hybrid and electric technology continue to evolve, you never know what remarkable developments could come next!