As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change, industries and governments are seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint. The automotive industry is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions, and many automakers are making concerted efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. The BMW Group is one such automaker that has set clear goals for reducing CO2 emissions in its supply chain.

The company is focusing on CO2-intensive materials such as aluminum, steel, and plastics. Aluminum is particularly important to the BMW Group because it is an essential material in the company’s intelligent composite construction. In the supply chain of a mid-sized fully-electric vehicle, approximately a quarter of the CO2 emissions are attributable to aluminum. This underscores the tremendous potential of reducing CO2 emissions in the aluminum supply chain.

In another step toward achieving its sustainability goals, the BMW Group, on Tuesday,  signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rio Tinto to source low-carbon aluminum from Rio Tinto’s hydro-powered operations in Canada starting in 2024. Compared to conventionally manufactured aluminum, this approach can save around 70 percent of CO2 emissions. The planned supply volumes will be used exclusively in vehicle production in body components, like the hood (bonnet), for example. The low-carbon aluminum components is targeted for use at BMW Group’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.