MUNICH—BMW’s next model launch is an important one. When the new iX3 goes on sale in Europe later this year, then here in North America in 2026, it will be the first of a new family of electric BMWs, built using an advanced new platform known as the Neue Klasse, as an homage to the original Neue Klasse of the 1960s that helped BMW define its image for decades. Some of what we know about the new iX3—including what it looks like—has to remain under wraps for another few weeks, but for now, we can say that this should be BMW’s most sustainable production car to date. Here’s why.
BMW has always built interesting concept cars, even if some of its ideas—like the fabric bodywork of the GINA Light Visionary Model—have never made it to production. One of my favorite BMW concepts of late was probably the i Vision Circular, which the automaker showed off in 2021—not so much for the car itself but for the construction techniques it previewed, some of which have shown up in the iX3.
That includes the heavy use of mono materials. Making the center console out of just one kind of plastic means it’s far easier to recycle at the end of the car’s life. BMW also significantly upped the use of secondary materials in the car: About 1,600 lbs-worth (740 kg) is recycled material, including half of all the lithium, cobalt, and nickel in the battery pack; 70 percent of the aluminum in the alloy wheels; and 80 percent of the aluminum in the wheel carriers. The frunk is made from plastic containing 30 percent recycled fishing nets.
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