The new composite material is ready for use on visible exterior and interior parts in production vehicles
- BMW M will use natural fiber composites in future production vehicles.
- The material was developed with Bcomp and has been tested in racing.
- Flax-based components resemble carbon fiber but come from renewable sources.
BMW has unveiled a new lightweight material that could serve as a greener alternative to carbon fiber, offering reduced CO2 emissions in the process. After testing it in racing environments, natural fiber composites, made from renewable materials, are now ready to make their way into BMW production models.
A Long Time in the Making
The development of this new material, which took several years, was a collaboration with Swiss clean-tech company Bcomp. BMW isn’t alone in backing Bcomp, as the company is also working with Porsche, Volvo, and Polestar. The goal was straightforward: reduce the carbon footprint of vehicle components without sacrificing performance.
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The material is derived from flax seeds, the same plant that gives us linen—the fabric you may associate with bed sheets or tablecloths. Unlike its soft textile cousin, however, this natural fiber composite is strong enough to rival carbon fiber, featuring a distinctive pattern that gives it a unique look. This makes it a solid choice for visible vehicle components, both inside and out.
BMW has already teased photos showing natural fiber composite parts on what appears to be a BMW M4 Coupe. These include the entire roof section, rear diffuser, and hood inserts.
Big Benefits for the Environment
According to BMW, the roof alone could lead to a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to carbon fiber, with additional benefits for the end-of-life considerations. Furthermore, the new material meets the stringent demands of roof structures in total vehicle homologation.
Natural fiber composites were first used by BMW M Motorsport in the 2019 season of Formula E, before replacing the carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts of the M4 DTM and M4 GT4 race cars. The latter will soon take on the challenge of competing at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring with the new parts in place.
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Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M, stated: “Natural fiber composites are a vital element of innovative lightweight solutions in motorsport”, adding that they are “looking forward to the use of these materials in future BMW M product ranges”.
It’s likely that these flax-based components will be available as optional upgrades in the BMW M parts catalog for certain models, rather than being standard issue. It’ll be interesting to see how their price compares to traditional carbon fiber options.
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