The BMW Group is ‘moo’-ving from cowhide and other raw materials of animal origin in its interior.
BMW car and Mini announced that it will offer “completely vegan” interiors for the first time from 2023.
It remains unclear which BMW and Mini cars will be the first to feature a new, non-leather interior at this stage.
Mini has previously indicated that it is moving away from animal skins, as well as chrome, with its new design language previewed by Ideas Aceman EV.
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Aceman’s concept -
The move to start offering vegan interiors is part of the BMW Group’s goal to become climate neutral by 2050 at the latest.
The company notes that it expects demand for vegan and leather-free interiors to increase in the near future, particularly in the US, China and Europe.
BMW says the hardest part of going leather-free is finding materials for the steering wheel that give it a premium feel and look, while still resisting wear.
“With the steering wheel made from high-quality vegan surfaces, we are fulfilling the wishes of our customers who do not want any compromise in terms of look, feel and function,” said Head of Department. body development division, exterior trim of the BMW Group said , and interior Uwe Köhler.
“The innovative material withstands wear and tear from abrasion, perspiration and moisture and has all the desired properties of leather.”
BMW says the only distinguishing feature of the new vegan material will be the grainy effect on the steering wheel rim.
With the introduction of this new vegan surface material for the steering wheel, BMW says it reduces CO2 emissions along the value chain by around 85% compared to leather.
It also means that the percentage of raw materials of animal origin falls below 1% in BMW and Mini models.
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iX M60i
The only places where animal-based materials will be found include gelatine in protective coatings, lanolin in paints, tallow as an additive in elastomers and beeswax as a paint flux.
In addition, the BMW Group is working with unnamed “startups” to further develop bio-based materials.
Mirium, claimed to be 100% bio-based and petroleum-free, is said to have the potential to mimic all the properties of traditional cowhide.
Another new material is called Desertex, which is made from powdered cactus fibers with so-called bio-based polyurethane matrix.
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Mini Electric Hatch Resolute Editon
BMW and Mini are not the first companies to move away from cowhide, with Volvo now offers all electric models exclusively with leatherette and faux leather interior trim.
The first car to benefit from the switch to animal-free skin was the C40 Recharge ‘coupe’ crossover.
Other automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover and Polestar, among others, are also going down the path of sustainable cabin materials.
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