Every year, the German car manufacturer BMW has to destroy about 10,000 cars, including those that have served as test drives or prototypes, before new products are released to the market.
BMW has established the Recycling and Dismantling Center (RDC) since 1994. This is where pre-production cars, used as models and for testing purposes, are processed, as they do not meet the standards to be sold on the market.
This is also the largest car recycling center in Germany. Here, the company not only dismantles cars but also recycles reusable parts to minimize the release of hazardous substances into the environment.
New car models will contain 1.5 to 3 km of cables, mainly made of copper, with significant economic value. In addition, some parts of the car are made of aluminum and the exhaust filter contains precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium, most of which will be recycled.
The dismantling process starts by activating the airbag, followed by the seat-belt tensioner, and finally removing the battery. Technicians will remove fuel, oil, coolant, and windshield washer fluid for future reuse. The remaining parts will be dismantled according to the procedure.
For electric cars, the dismantling process starts by removing the battery.
Parts that cannot be reused will be compressed by a giant machine into square blocks and transferred to another location for further processing.
In Germany, each car must meet at least 85% recyclability for its parts and 95% can be processed or safely disposed of. Therefore, the RDC provides information to BMW designers for the development of cars that can be optimized in terms of recycling.
TH (Tuoitrethudo)
The Ultimate Reverse 180-degree Car Drift in Hanoi: A Mind-Blowing Maneuver
On the first day of the MINI Driving Experience 2015, participants were impressed by the spectacular 180-degree reverse spin maneuver of the car.
Introducing BMW’s New Entertainment System
Bavarian car manufacturer has recently announced its plans to introduce a cutting-edge infotainment system featuring a touchscreen display in the near future.
[CAR REVIEW] The Newly Launched BMW iX3 in Vietnam: Compact, Practical, and Expensive
As the second electric car introduced by BMW, the iX3 caters well to everyday urban usage needs. However, it will still take time to reach customers.
A Glimpse into the World of Luxury Japanese Car Brands: Part 1
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the concept of “Japanese luxury cars” was fairly unfamiliar to Americans. However, within just a decade, Americans had to change their perception of manufacturers from the “land of the rising sun.”
