As the COP26 summit gets underway in Glasgow, BMW has hailed the role of the fleet industry in helping to push the automotive industry’s green agenda.

BMW’s i Vision Circular concept is made of recycled and recyclable materials

Speaking at an event showcasing the manufacturer’s i Vision Circular yesterday (1 November), Dr Thomas Becker, vice president of sustainability and mobility at BMW Group, said the fastest way to get new technology onto the road was through the fleet market.

“It demonstrates why moving things forward in this industry is so important,” he said.

“If more companies offer staff comprehensive packages including the vehicle, charging equipment and training, it will enhance the credibility of the technology – and prove the nay-sayers wrong.”

Dr Becker stated that if drivers didn’t feel the technology was forced on them, but offered to them on favourable terms, they would be more likely to talk more favourably about it.

“Positive visibility [of electric vehicles] can come thought the corporate market,” he added.

He also highlighted the importance of communicating the benefits of used EVs.

“The focus at the moment is so much on the price and the range that a vehicle offers, but there is a much bigger picture about what the vehicle offers,” said Dr Becker.

At the event, at BMW’s Park Lane retail outlet, Dr Becker detailed how the company was making a major effort to work with its components suppliers to help reduce CO2 emissions.

“Just changing the powertrain won’t get you into the Paris Agreement – you need to make changes to the supply chain,” he explained.

BMW’s i Vision Circular, unveiled at September’s Munich IAA show is constructed of recycled and recyclable materials.