The new Mini Cooper SE Convertible will be the first model to have recycled materials for its alloy wheels. It is a vehicle with combined power consumption- 17.2kWh/100 km according to WLTP. This kind of 100% secondary aluminum used for light alloy wheels is in corporation with Ronal, the wheel manufacturer.
The consistent use of recycled aluminum not only conserves raw material sources but also eliminates the particularly energy-intensive electrolysis process that is normally necessary to produce light alloys. The light support wheel made from 100% recycled aluminum features aerodynamically optimized real metal inlays as well as an innovatively designed center cap. Made entirely from recycled light alloy, the support wheel completely meets the structural requirements and high-quality standards of the BMW Group, while the inlays optimize the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle, thereby increasing the range of the MINI Cooper SE Convertible.
In other words, the innovative alloy wheels contribute to reducing the vehicle’s carbon footprint in multiple respects—both in production and while driving. With the use of secondary materials that have a carbon footprint of less than 0.16 kg of carbon per kilogram of aluminum, the wheel supplier has been able to reduce carbon emissions at its production facility by up to 75% compared to conventionally produced wheels. In concrete terms, this means carbon emissions fall from around 130 kg to around 30 kilograms.
Innovation
The aerodynamic properties and lightweight design of the innovative alloy wheels also make a difference on the road, with the complete enclosure of the wheel exterior by the inlays significantly decreasing drag. The weight-optimized design reduces the unsprung masses of the vehicle as a whole, boosting efficiency and enabling the MINI Cooper SE Convertible to deliver the go-kart feel that is so typical of the brand.
Drivers of the MINI Cooper SE Convertible with recycled aluminum alloy wheels are part of a pilot project aimed at gradually reducing demand for primary raw materials. The alloy wheels on the MINI Cooper SE Convertible can also be fully recycled at the end of their lifecycle. Participating in this circularity enables the BMW Group to continually reduce the amount of aluminum that needs to be produced by means of an energy-intensive primary energy process. The 135 kW/184 hp electric motor comes from the BMW Group’s electric mobility competence centers in Dingolfing and Landshut. Its small size enables particularly harmonious axle load distribution and favors agile and easily controllable handling. The electric drive accelerates the MINI Cooper SE Convertible from a standstill to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.
