BMW Group receives prestigious innovation award for components made from flax fibres.

Munich. The BMW Group, together with its partners,
has won the globally renowned JEC Composites Innovation Award for
series-production exterior components in automobiles. The award was
presented at the JEC World Premiere in Paris and recognizes
innovations in the development of sustainable materials for the
automotive industry.

Innovation and sustainability in automotive engineering.

In June of 2025, the BMW Group first announced the use of natural
composites made from flax fibre in the design of series-production
vehicles. The award in the “Automotive & Road Transportation
Parts” category recognizes BMW Group’s successful integration of
these innovative materials. BMW Group’s decision to use natural fibre
composites for visible components in series-production vehicles is the
most comprehensive application within the industry to date.

Collaboration enables technological breakthrough.

The innovative use of fibre composites is the result of years of
research and development work and intensive cooperation with partners
Bcomp Ltd., Cobra Advanced Composites Co. Ltd. and PPG Wörwag Coatings
GmbH & Co. KG. Together, the consortium succeeded in overcoming a
major technical challenge: ensuring the natural fibre composites
developed would meet the complex requirements for series production
required across the structure of the vehicle, including the high
quality needed for the roof panel.

Contribution to CO₂e reduction and lightweight construction.

The use of natural fibres helps to reduce the CO₂e footprint of
future vehicle models and has an impact on lightweight construction
goals. Material tests show that superior exterior and interior
components can be manufactured from these natural fibres.

A concrete example is the use of natural flax fibre composites
instead of carbon fibre composites in the roof panels of future
models. Replacing carbon roof panel with flax fibre panels can achieve
a reduction in CO₂e emissions of around 40% during production plus
addition end-of-life considerations.

Collaboration as a success factor.

The development of innovative natural flax fibre composites is the
result of successful and intensive collaboration with internal and
external partners. Cross-departmental and cross-company cooperation
has led to new and innovative solutions in materials and manufacturing
processes. Through BMW Group’s use of interdisciplinary expertise, it
has been possible to develop forward-looking products and consistently
promote sustainability in automotive engineering.

Dr. Herbert Negele, Head of Materials Development and Lightweight
Construction, emphasized the importance of BMW Group’s collaborative
approach: “At BMW Group, we are committed to thinking and acting
responsibly. This premise requires the continuous development of our
materials towards sustainability, while continuing to meet the high
demands of functionality, lightweight construction and design. The JEC
Award confirms our approach and motivates everyone involved in the
project to continue along this path.”