BMW Group Returns as Official Partner of Climate Week NYC 2024, Announces Full Slate of Programming for September 24.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – September 20, 2024… The BMW Group announced today its plans for Climate Week NYC 2024, one of the largest annual climate events of its kind. As an Official Partner of Climate Week NYC, the company is bringing industries and experts together to facilitate a critical idea exchange on decarbonization on a global stage and share new low-emission technologies and innovations.

On September 24, BMW Group will host media, partners, and stakeholders at Moonlight Studios in Manhattan for a program highlighted by a panel discussion moderated by legendary weatherman and news anchor Al Roker to explore the importance of collaboration to achieve sustainability goals. Panelists will include BMW GroupGeneral Project Manager Hydrogen Technology and Vehicle Projects, Dr. Juergen Guldner; Chef, Restaurateur and owner of Eleven Madison Park, Daniel Humm; Levi’s Senior Director of Sustainability, Jennifer DuBuisson, and climate activist Sophia Kianni.

Throughout the day, guests will also have the opportunity to explore various exhibits from BMW Group companies URBAN-X and Designworks, designed to showcase some of the company’s efforts around sustainability, speak with experts, and interact vehicles including the BMW iX5 Hydrogen and the 100% electric BMW i5 sedan.

“Sustainability and circularity – from the procurement of materials in the supply chain and the manufacturing process, through the product use phase and post-life – are not only core principals of BMW Group’s corporate strategy, but also key factors which will support the future success of our company,” said Alexander Bilgeri, Vice President Corporate Communications, Human Resources, Production, Purchasing and Sustainability. “It is critical that we foster collaboration across industries if we are to make an impact and ultimately achieve net zero as a society. Climate Week NYC is a perfect platform for to affirm our commitment to decarbonization and share ideas that will help build a more sustainable future.”

Highlights include:

• URBAN-X Managing Director Johan Schwind, Director Sarah Schappert, and representatives from partner companies  Dollaride, itselectric, Virtus Solis, Lectrium, and Vycarb will outline the BMW Group’s URBAN-X initiative and its cutting-edge work with startups in the climate tech space who are reimagining city life.
• Dr. Guldner will take to the stage to lead an in-depth conversation on the importance of hydrogen as an energy source in the United States, with Director of the Energy Futures Program at the University of California Davis, Dr. Lewis Fulton, and Hydrogen Industry Expert and Founder of CleanEpic, Dr. Jason Munster.
• Designworks, BMW Group’s California-based design consultancy, will showcase the award-winning BMW M Visionary Materials Seat and discuss sustainability and visionary design, the use of naturally-derived materials, and how raising the share of secondary raw materials can increase recyclability at the end of the lifecycle
• Experts from Redwood Materials will be on hand to discuss the company’s recently announced partnership with BMW of North America to recycle lithium-ion batteries from all electric, plug-in hybrid-electric, and mild hybrid BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad vehicles in the U.S.

Media interested in joining the program can click here to register. For those unable to join in person, the BMW Group will bring its Climate Week NYC experience to social media, partnering with "We Don't Have Time" - The World's Largest Media Platform for Climate Action, to create a video series entitled “Climate Conversations in Cars.” This series will feature interviews with high-level thought leaders at Climate Week NYC. The first episode will be available to view at wedonthavetime.org/play starting on September 27.

BMW will launch its first hydrogen-powered production model in 2028. 

After successfully testing the BMW iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet worldwide, the BMW Group is now preparing for series production of vehicles with hydrogen drive systems in 2028. The series production models will be integrated into BMW’s existing portfolio, i.e. BMW will offer an existing model in an additional hydrogen fuel cell drive system variant. As FCEV technology is another electric vehicle technology, the BMW Group explicitly views it as complementing the drive technology used by battery electric vehicles (BEV) and next to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and internal combustion engines (ICE).

Advancing the hydrogen economy.

The pathway to realizing the full potential of hydrogen mobility includes its use in commercial vehicles and the establishment of a refueling infrastructure for all mobility applications, including hydrogen-powered passenger vehicles. Recognizing the complementary nature of these technologies, the BMW Group is supporting the expansion of both hydrogen refueling and battery electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The company is working with partners to encourage sustainable hydrogen supply by creating demand, working closely with companies that are building low-carbon hydrogen production, distribution, and refueling facilities.

The BMW Group is advocating the creation of a conducive framework by governments and investors to facilitate the early-stage penetration of hydrogen mobility and ensure its economic viability. By promoting the corresponding infrastructure, the company aims to establish the FCEV market as an additional pillar alongside other powertrain technologies. Furthermore, the company is seeking regional or local projects to further drive the development of hydrogen infrastructure through collaborative initiatives.

Benefits of hydrogen-powered technology.

Hydrogen is recognized as a promising future energy carrier for global decarbonization. It acts as an effective storage medium for renewable energy sources, helping to balance supply and demand and enabling a more stable and reliable integration of renewables into the energy grid. Hydrogen is the missing piece for completing the electric mobility puzzle where battery electric drive systems are not an optimal solution.

Sustainability at the BMW Group. 

The BMW Group considers sustainability to be a central part of its strategic direction – from administration and purchasing to development and production, all the way to sales and marketing. This commitment has long been entrenched in the BMW Group’s corporate culture. It was the first automotive manufacturer worldwide to appoint our own environmental officer back in 1973 – over 50 years ago.

BMW Group firmly believes that effective climate protection can be achieved through technological innovations and has set itself high reduction targets for CO2 emissions by 2030. The aim is to lower emissions per vehicle by 40% throughout the entire life cycle. How we respond to climate change now will decide the future of society.

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The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

BMW Group in America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and assembles the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 350 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 144 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com, www.miniusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com. 

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