BMW Group has announced a major milestone in its longstanding collaboration with Swiss cleantech company Bcomp, confirming that Bcomp’s high-performance natural fiber composite materials will be integrated into the exterior and interior components of future BMW series production vehicles, including the upcoming BMW M3. 

The initiative marks a notable step forward in sustainable automotive manufacturing, enabling CO? emission reductions of up to 40% during production. By substituting traditional carbon fiber parts with Bcomp’s flax-based materials, such as ampliTex™ and powerRibs™, the carmaker is enhancing environmental performance without compromising quality or strength. 

“Natural fiber composites are a vital element of innovative lightweight solutions in motorsport, allowing for a reduction in CO?e emissions in the manufacturing process,” said Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “This breakthrough with Bcomp brings race-proven sustainability to our road cars.” 

From Track to Road: A Race-Tested Innovation 

The BMW-Bcomp partnership began in motorsports, where the companies tested natural fiber composites in high-performance conditions. The BMW iFE.20 Formula E race car featured a cooling shaft made from Bcomp’s materials as early as 2019. In 2022, the BMW M4 GT4 featured more natural fiber parts than any other GT car at the time, setting the stage for broader automotive adoption. 

Now, that technology is entering large-scale production. For example, the roof of the next-generation BMW M3 will be manufactured using a natural fiber composite via Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) — an automated process that ensures consistency and efficiency. 

Additional components, both interior and exterior, will be produced using prepreg processes. This advanced technique pre-impregnates fibers with resin and cures them in autoclaves to ensure maximum stiffness and quality.  

Scaling with Strategic Investment 

BMW’s innovation investment arm, BMW i Ventures, played a key role in scaling Bcomp’s solutions through participation in its Series B (2022) and Series C (2024) funding rounds. 

“We invest in young companies with the potential to bring innovations into large-scale production. That’s exactly what we identified in Bcomp,” said Marcus Behrendt, Managing Partner at BMW i Ventures 

This backing has enabled Bcomp to develop proprietary weave patterns and colors that meet the homologation standards for structural automotive components, including roofs — a segment long dominated by carbon fiber. 

A Shared Commitment to Innovation 

“Using our natural fiber-based materials on the exterior of series-production road cars once seemed impossible,” said Johann Wacht, Business Development Manager at Bcomp. “Together with BMW Group, we’ve proven otherwise.” 

“Transforming a bold idea into a market-ready product demands a shared commitment to challenge the status quo,” added Christian Fischer, CEO of Bcomp. “This next chapter with BMW Group is a clear demonstration of what’s possible through innovation and resilience.” 

Source: www.bcomp.com