To keep building future cars, BMW is mastering the art breaking them down
Arvind · Jan 7, 2024 12:00 PM
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In the quiet suburbs of Munich, Germany, the end-of-life journey for up to 10,000 cars each year takes centre stage at the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC). Established in 1994, the RDC has been tearing pre-production cars and one-offs from testing and development that for legal liability reasons, cannot be sold to customers.
However, this industrial hub is not just about tearing down vehicles but is a pioneering force in advancing the recycling and the circular economy of cars, which considers the entire lifecycle of the vehicle, and not just its production and service life. This is because sustainability goes beyond just building new EVs, it’s about reusing what we have, reducing the need to further mine Earth’s precious resources.
The process starts with using a specialised tool to trigger the airbags
At the RDC, the process begins with igniting the front airbags, then the ones on the side, then the seatbelt tensioners and finally the battery terminal. The pyrotechnics found in all vehicles have now been neutralized, as required by law.
After which, all the fluids are removed – oil, wiper fluid, brake fluid, and coolant. All fluids are reused within the RDC.
After the airbags, all fluids are flushed and recycled
From there, the big guns come in; an excavator equipped with a multi-tool arm further dismantles the remains of the vehicle with surgical precision. From the engine block to the wiring harness, and beyond, every component is carefully picked apart, laying the groundwork for efficient recycling.
For electric vehicles, a specialized procedure follows the removal of the high-voltage batteries before the final process.
The ‘grand finale’ takes place in an orange scrap press, where the remains are compacted into a cube resembling a fridge. This cube is sent to an external recycling company for shredding, ensuring the recovery of materials for further use. Per regulations, 85 percent of a vehicle must be recyclable, and a whopping 95 percent must be recoverable, including thermal recycling.
The facility doesn't just handle recycling but also offers critical feedback to design new vehicles for optimal reuse, repair, recycling and remanufacture.
Modern vehicles, laden with valuable materials like copper, aluminium, rhodium and precious metals in catalytic converters, offer a wealth of recyclable resources. The RDC leverages its expertise to continually enhance the efficiency of the recycling process, gaining valuable insights into making it faster and more valuable.
The RDC's commitment extends beyond its walls. The centre logs its recycling procedures in a cross-manufacturer database accessible to over 3,000 recyclers in 41 countries. This collaboration is pivotal for the circular economy, ensuring recyclers can efficiently retrieve usable parts and recover materials with minimal effort and expense.
Given the average lifespan of a vehicle is approximately 21 years, the RDC is constantly finding the most efficient, cost-effective and quickest ways to recycle future cars to further advocate the shift towards the genuine circular economy of automotive manufacturing.
Alexander Schüll, the Manager of the RDC adds, “Only if we take a circular approach to product development, if the mindset is circular, then we can achieve a good, sustainable, holistic solution.”
Arvind can't remember a time when he didn't wheel around a HotWheels car. This love evolved into an interest in Tamiya and RC cars and finally the real deal 1:1 scale stuff. Passion finally lead to formal training in Mechanical Engineering. Instead of the bigger picture, he obsesses with the final drive ratio and spring rates of cars and spends the weekends wondering why a Perodua Myvi is so fast.
