BMW is offering a completely animal-free interior option for the 5 Series Touring. According to the company, the interior design of the new vehicle sets new standards in terms of animal welfare and sustainability.
The seat surfaces are made from the innovative material “Veganza” and will optionally be available with decorative perforation. Veganza is a vegan leather alternative that is said to offer an improved feel and optimized climate properties.
The BMW Group announced in autumn 2023 that it would offer BMW and MINI vehicles with completely vegan interiors and would produce even more sustainable and 100% animal-free vehicles in the future. In cooperation with various startups, BMW is researching and developing innovative materials with leather-like properties that can be used, among other things, for seat surfaces, steering wheels, and other equipment features.
A focus is also on reducing vehicle components that contain traces of raw materials of animal origin to less than 1%. In addition, the use of animal-free materials contributes significantly to reducing CO2e emissions in production, says the company.
Back in 2021, BMW invested in Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) through its venture capital firm BMW i Ventures to help the sustainably produced materials company scale its plastic-free leathers and textiles for commercial production. NFW produces long-lasting, 100% recyclable, and cruelty-free alternative products from botanicals such as hemp, waste cork, coconut, and vegetable oil.
Other materials used by BMW include Mirum, a leather alternative that is 100 percent bio-based and petroleum-free and has the potential to imitate all the properties of conventional leather, as well as the Deserttex material, which is made from powdered cactus fibers with a bio-based polyurethane Matrix is produced.
Further information: bmwgroup.com
