Coldplay concert tour to run on recycled BMW i3 batteries
Recycled BMW EV batteries to power Coldplay's The Music of The Spheres World Tour
Like most automakers, BMW is going green. The company has rolled out several hybrid and pure battery-electric vehicles over the past few years in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Just last week, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse proudly declared that they’re ready in the worst-case scenario that internal combustion engines are banned by 2030.
But one major issue xEVs face is the batteries, particularly the disposal or recycling of these after their useful life for automotive propulsion. To show that the EV batteries in their vehicles have a sustainable life outside the automotive industry, BMW has teamed up with British rock band Coldplay. Yes, that Coldplay.
Music only emits sound, you might say. Big concerts however are powered by big fossil-fuel-fed generators to give the juice for those massive lights, speakers, and all other stage effects that complete the experience; these also produce carbon emissions. Big musicians like Coldplay also have social responsibility programs they support, and environmental sustainability is one of them; therefore they also want to reduce their carbon footprint.
Batteries from the BMW i3, will be recycled to power Coldplay’s upcoming The Music Of The Spheres World Tour.
More than 40 partly-recycled i3 batteries will provide the necessary super low emission, electric power and replace the usual fuel-burning generators at their concerts. As a result, there will be a significant reduction of carbon emission in all the band’s live performances. Meanwhile, the batteries will be recharged by renewable resources such as solar installations, a kinetic stadium floor, power bikes, and generators powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
“We’re proud to partner with BMW to create the world’s first tourable, rechargeable show battery – which will allow us to power our concerts almost entirely from clean, renewable energy,” says Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Interestingly, this won’t be the first BMW and Coldplay collaboration. The band extensively worked with the automaker on campaigns with the iX and the i4 earlier this year. They even wrote an original song titled “Higher Power” released alongside it. Coldplay also played a major part at BMW’s virtual JOYTOPIA by holding an online concert at the 2021 IAA.
It’s cool to see EV and hybrid batteries being reused for a different purpose. At least we know they won’t just be thrown away once their use in vehicles is over.
This might spark the trend for sustainable concerts worldwide. Let's hope we have a live concert from a major artist in the Philippines soon, a sustainable one at that, too.
