BMW’s Electric M3 May Ditch Carbon Fiber For Something Greener

A Grand Entrance

While it's still a concept, BMW just showed the world what to expect from the first-ever electric M3. Officially known as the M Neue Klasse Concept, it made its premiere during the recently concluded 24 Hours of Le Mans. It has to be said that BMW did well this year with a second-place finish, but back to the topic at hand.

One could call the M Neue Klasse Concept a thinly veiled prototype of the real deal, and there are many elements on the car that could make it to production. Maybe the racing-inspired wing-type mirrors won't make it to showrooms, but you can bet that a lot of the aero elements will be seen on the road car.

No Carbon

But there's another thing worth noting about the M Neue Klasse Concept that will be applied to the electric M3. That would be the construction of some materials on the vehicle. While performance cars are typically saddled with carbon fiber, BMW took a different route.

Speaking to BMW Blog, BMW M head of design Michael Scully said the concept uses natural fiber, and it's safe to say the M3 will use the same material. The reason? Of course, it's for environmental reasons, as BMW reduces its carbon footprint. As it turns out, the M division is included in the company's sustainability efforts.

The company has been developing natural fiber for years, and this could well be the first application for a production model. It's claimed to have the same lightweight and strength properties as carbon fiber, which, turns out, isn't recyclable.

Anticipating Regulation Changes

For those who remember, the EU drafted a proposal to ban non-recyclable materials in vehicles (including carbon fiber) by 2029. That said, the overwhelming pushback from automakers has forced legislators to remove the composite material from the proposed list of hazardous materials.

It's a win for now, but that doesn't mean that the EU won't touch on that subject in the future. Should that be revisited, BMW will at least be ready if that movement gains momentum.

As for BMW's other sustainability efforts, the X3 and the 1 Series feature more recyclable materials inside, while the iX3 and i3 followed suit. The two EVs also use more recycled aluminum in their parts and construction, and more recently, the 7 Series and i7 have more secondary aluminum. Expect this trend to carry on in future BMW models.

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