BMW revealed a concept vehicle at the 2021 IAA Mobility Show in Munich called the i Vision Circular. This concept is a city car that looks quite cute and focuses on sustainability. Almost every company that makes EVs says its committed to using sustainable materials in its vehicles, but BMW has taken it to the next level. The i Vision Circular is composed of 100-percent recyclable materials! Don’t expect it to come out anytime soon because this is the German automaker’s vision what its compact EV would look like in the year 2040.

BMW i Vision Circular Concept – Exterior

The i Vision Circular is based on four principles – Re-think, Re-duce, Re-use, and Re-cycle. This allows the car to be 100-percent recyclable at the end of its life cycle. These principles are evident in its aesthetics on the outside and inside, and even its mechanicals. Up front, there’s a digital surface that interprets the headlights and gives the impression of the kidney grille. The company mentioned that such a digital design could make geometric variations in lights and bumpers redundant in the future and this would in turn reduce the number of materials and tools required.

BMW has factored in a circular design for the car, which allows it to be compact on the outside and spacious on the inside. The body is mostly composed of recycled aluminum. It has a light-gold anodized finish to it that transitions smoothly into a bluish-purple color at the rear. The rear, by the way, is created by a heat-treatment process. The bumpers are manufactured from recycled plastic with a marbled surface. Instead of using badges, the brand logo is engraved onto the body here.

Even the tires are composed of certified, sustainably cultivated natural rubber. These are slightly transparent, too. BMW had added colored, recycled rubber particles to the tire compound. This not only strengthens the tires, but also creates a terrazzo effect. The wheels are also designed in a way that offers maximum aero efficiency around the outer surface and passes air in the middle for the brakes to cool.

BMW i Vision Circular Concept – Interior

BMW has aimed to make the i Vision Circular a sustainable and luxurious car. As mentioned earlier, the circular shape of the concept allows for a spacious cabin. The concept features lounge seats with integral headrests at the front and a bench at the rear. The upholstery is made from recycled plastic and is held within a light-gold aluminum frame.

To keep the cabin bright, BMW has also equipped a glass roof. The concept doesn’t feature a typical instrument cluster. Instead, there’s a 3D-printed crystal body that reacts to hand movements. It also lets out a pretty cool lighting effect. The concept also comes with a deep-pile carpet all around that’s made up of 100-percent recycled plastic.

Every component of the i Vision Circular is composed of recycled materials and BMW has paid attention to its disassembly as well. The wheels, seats, instrument cluster, etc. come with quick-release fasteners.

BMW i Vision Circular Concept – Battery

The i Vision Circular makes use of solid-state batteries. If you remember, BMW had noted that solid-state batteries are at least 6-7 years away. The company mentioned, “it definitely won’t be ready in any way until 2027,“. But, given that this is a 2040 concept, there’s no harm in plonking it in here.

There’s no word on the powertrain. But, the automaker noted that the sound design for the i Vision Circular is composed by Hans Zimmer and BMW’s Creative Sound Director, Renzo Vitale. Another feature here is the real-time and long-term traffic data that will help with sustainable urban mobility by maximizing efficiency.

Conclusion

Don’t expect the i Vision Circular to come up anytime soon as this is more of BMW’s vision of what 2040 could look like. However, individual elements here – including the sustainable stuff – could be used in the upcoming models. We’ll have to see how that goes. That said, if BMW comes up with a similar compact electric city car in a couple of years, it could be a hit.