PressClub Latin America, Caribbean · Article.
Premiere of the first fully electric MINI Cooper SE Convertible: alloy wheels made from 100 percent recycled aluminium.
Fri Feb 24 16:50:00 CET 2023 Press Release
+++ BMW Group is consistently advancing the transformation towards circularity. +++ Using recycled material reduces carbon emissions during production by up to 75 percent. +++
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Edgar Tellez
BMW Group
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Munich. The BMW Group is again leading the way in
terms of the circular economy. The new MINI Cooper SE Convertible
(combined power consumption: 17.2kWh/100 km according to WLTP; carbon
emissions: 0 g/km) will be the first series model to be produced with
alloy wheels that are made entirely from recycled aluminium.
„As premium manufacturer we entrenched sustainability in the
development from very early on”, said Dr. Nicolai Martin, Senior Vice
President Development Automated Driving. „The light alloy wheels of
the fully electric open-top four-seater are a prime example of
sustainable resource use, and they represent an important milestone on
the road to circular economy for the BMW Group.”
The first use of 100 percent secondary aluminium for light-alloy
wheels on a series-production vehicle is in cooperation with the wheel
manufacturer Ronal. The consistent use of recycled aluminium not only
conserves raw material sources, but also eliminates the particularly
energy-intensive electrolysis process that is normally necessary to
produce light alloys.
Re:think – reinventing the wheel.
The BMW Group is pushing ahead with the successful
implementation of a circular economy in accordance with the four basic
principles to Re:think, Re:duce, Re:use and Re:cycle, with development
of the first 100 percent recycled aluminium alloy wheels consistently
aligned with these tenets. As the world’s first open-top fully
electric premium car to be produced in a small series, it is not only
the alloy wheels but the new MINI Cooper SE Convertible as a whole,
which has been completely rethought in terms of sustainability.
The combination of a light support wheel made from 100 percent
recycled aluminium with aerodynamically optimised real metal inlays as
well as an innovatively designed centre cap offers a unique selling
point that clearly sets the model apart from the competition. Made
entirely from recycled light alloy, the support wheel completely meets
the structural requirements and high quality standards of the BMW
Group, while the inlays optimise the aerodynamic properties of the
vehicle, thereby increasing the range of the MINI Cooper SE
Convertible. In other words, the innovative alloy wheels contribute to
reducing the vehicle’s carbon footprint in multiple respects – both in
production and while driving.
Re:duce – significant carbon reductions from using recycled
aluminium.
With the use of secondary materials that have
a carbon footprint of less than 0.16 kg of carbon per kilogram of
aluminium, the wheel supplier has been able to reduce carbon emissions
at its production facility by up to 75 percent compared to
conventionally produced wheels. In concrete terms, this means carbon
emissions falling from around 130 kg to around 30 kilograms.
The outstanding aerodynamic properties and lightweight design of
the innovative alloy wheels also make a difference on the road, with
the complete enclosure of the wheel exterior by the inlays
significantly decreasing drag. The weight-optimised design reduces the
unsprung masses of the vehicle as a whole, boosting efficiency and
enabling the MINI Cooper SE Convertible to deliver the go-kart feel
that is so typical of the brand.
Re:use – recyclability makes it possible to forgo primary aluminium.
The consistent implementation of circular economy principles has
turned the joy of sustainability into a lived experience for the MINI
community. Drivers of the MINI Cooper SE Convertible with recycled
aluminium alloy wheels are part of a pilot project aimed at gradually
reducing demand for primary raw materials. The alloy wheels on the
MINI Cooper SE Convertible can also be fully recycled at the end of
their lifecycle. Participating in this circularity enables the BMW
Group to continually reduce the amount of aluminium that needs to be
produced by means of an energy-intensive primary energy process.
Re:cycle – Premium-quality recycled aluminium wheels.
Secondary raw materials must also fulfil the BMW Group’s high
standards for quality, design, safety and mechanical properties.
With the alloy wheels on the MINI Cooper SE Convertible, the BMW
Group has succeeded in establishing a material cycle for premium
quality wheels for the first time, paving the way for repeated use of
the raw material. The use of 100 percent recycled aluminium wheels in
a small series is the first proof of feasibility for the ambitious
sustainability goals regarding the circular economy. At the same time,
the world premiere of the MINI Cooper SE Convertible sets the scene
for scaling up the innovative production process for use in future
large series models.