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BMW and Bcomp will work together on natural fiber materials
Written by Daniel Andzhurov – May 11, 2022
Reviewed by Asaf Kedem
New materials are entering the automotive industry. BMW, for instance, intends to use more components from re-emerging raw materials in the future. BMW has been active on the subject of light construction for decades and has recently used new materials in its racing cars, which will later be used in series cars. Through BMW iVentures, the Bavarian carmaker is investing in the Swiss company Bcomp, one of the leading manufacturers of lightweight natural fiber materials.
BMW hopes for a new impetus from the cooperation, especially for its sports and racing cars, but also the future production cars of the brand will be produced with the know-how of the Swiss from Bcomp.
"The durability of products is becoming increasingly important in motorsport. We are therefore pleased to welcome Bcomp as an official partner of BMW M Motorsport and to work together on the equipment of the BMW M4 GT4,” said Franciscus van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW M GmbH.
Nature is a model for 3D structures
Inspired by the natural fibers of leaves, the Bcomp-developed reinforcement of various car components provides maximum strength at minimum weight, creating a 3D structure on one side of the thin element. This allows the use of less material and reduces weight, as well as cost of production.
CO2 emissions are significantly reduced
Other reinforcements developed by Swiss engineers demonstrate a visible layer of flat fiber that replaces the CO2-neutral coating material. This can save up to 70% on interior plastic upholstery, which will significantly reduce CO2 emissions in production – by up to 60%.
Auto Trendy’s take:
BMW and other manufacturers, such as Porsche, and their commitment to materials is something that deserves praise. It is another proof to all of us that replacing fossil fuels with electricity or hydrogen is not the only thing we can do to take care of the environment. We, at Auto Trendy, do not only believe that others will take this as an example, but we also know that many more clever solutions are to come.
