BMW has a very broad portfolio, which includes models that meet different needs, be it sports cars, family SUVs or luxury sedans. With constant hardware and software upgrades, the automaker always keeps its lineup fresh and competitive, which basically means there’s always a good new BMW out there for you to buy, as long as you’re willing to pay the price. . But it turns out the company doesn’t want you to buy a new car at any cost – it’s just not very good for the environment.
This surely seems surprising at first glance, but the idea comes straight from one of the company’s executives. Monika Dernai, head of sustainability at BMW, recently spoke to an audience in London about how the automotive industry could reduce its environmental impact and waste. Dernai’s idea is to keep vehicles that are currently in use but aging fresh and modern by retrofitting them instead of just taking a car from the showroom.
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“We really have to think about extending the life of cars; not having a used car market where you sell cars to each other, but maybe take a car and extend its life,” Dernai said. “The idea could be to refresh the interior. We need new skill sets in the aftermarket and to design cars so that the seat can be removed and a new seat can be moved – so it’s a used car that feels like a new car.
Dernai’s lyrics are likely to come in for some flak from some industry insiders, but we’re actually happy to hear what she had to say in London. Upgrading older vehicles is something the automotive community loves and there is a huge market for used or new parts for older vehicles both in the US and across the big pond. . An OEM showing some support for this scene certainly deserves our admiration.
Dernai also said – and this is something we also find true – that the auto industry cannot move everyone to public transport or car-sharing services. Or, in other words, there is still a huge market for personal vehicles and that is highly unlikely to change anytime soon.
BMW has a very broad portfolio, which includes models that meet different needs, be it sports cars, family SUVs or luxury sedans. With constant hardware and software upgrades, the automaker always keeps its lineup fresh and competitive, which basically means there’s always a good new BMW out there for you to buy, as long as you’re willing to pay the price. . But it turns out the company doesn’t want you to buy a new car at any cost – it’s just not very good for the environment.
This surely seems surprising at first glance, but the idea comes straight from one of the company’s executives. Monika Dernai, head of sustainability at BMW, recently spoke to an audience in London about how the automotive industry could reduce its environmental impact and waste. Dernai’s idea is to keep vehicles that are currently in use but aging fresh and modern by retrofitting them instead of just taking a car from the showroom.
20 Pictures
“We really have to think about extending the life of cars; not having a used car market where you sell cars to each other, but maybe take a car and extend its life,” Dernai said. “The idea could be to refresh the interior. We need new skill sets in the aftermarket and to design cars so that the seat can be removed and a new seat can be moved – so it’s a used car that feels like a new car.
Dernai’s lyrics are likely to come in for some flak from some industry insiders, but we’re actually happy to hear what she had to say in London. Upgrading older vehicles is something the automotive community loves and there is a huge market for used or new parts for older vehicles both in the US and across the big pond. . An OEM showing some support for this scene certainly deserves our admiration.
Dernai also said – and this is something we also find true – that the auto industry cannot move everyone to public transport or car-sharing services. Or, in other words, there is still a huge market for personal vehicles and that is highly unlikely to change anytime soon.
