Premium car makers. Are they really taking sustainability seriously?

Due to the nature of the car industry, manufacturers constantly converge on a trend at the same time. Sustainability is one of the top buzzwords in the industry right now.

The goal of this trend is to make cars that are more energy-efficient. This can be done through the use of recycled materials in the car's construction.

One year ago, BMW unveiled its i Vision Circular concept, which showed a small, lightweight electric car that could be made from recycled materials. This concept is a compelling one, and it's hard to believe that there's still time to implement it.

Since then, various models have been introduced by BMW, such as the iX, the i7, and the XM. The iX is currently the heaviest car that the company has ever made, and it's expected to reach a tipping point of 3.5 tonnes by 2025.

BMW isn't the only company that makes large, heavy cars. In his Inside the Industry column, Jim Holder noted that the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is another example of how this trend is affecting the industry.

Cars with extra weight inevitably require bigger wheels, bigger brakes, and more power. Aside from damaging the environment and the consumer, this trend also increases the cost of ownership.

It's believed that the increasing number of cars with extra weight is being driven by the premium end of the market. This is in stark contrast to the other segments of the industry.

Toyota and Renault have recently announced that they're planning on using factories to make used cars that can be refurbished and refitted to extend their lives. Not a single car in their line-ups weighs over two tonnes.

One of the most admirable examples of how the car industry is responding to this trend is by making cars that are lighter. For instance, by using less raw materials, Italian carmaker Renault was able to reduce the weight of its cars.

Despite the various technological advancements that have occurred in the car industry, it's still not yet clear if consumers are turning away from cars that are heavily resource-intensive.

BMW's new 2.75-ton SUV, which has more than 700 horsepower, isn't exactly reading the room. The company's i Vision Circular concept was supposed to be a compelling one.

EM