BMW and Boeing have teamed up to research new methods of recycling carbon fibre into new products, reflecting the expected growth in both companies’ use of the lightweight material.

Under the terms of the deal, Boeing and BMW will share carbon fibre manufacturing process simulations, as well as ideas for manufacturing automation.

The collaboration agreement between the two is the first in the history of either company.

The German car manufacturer plans to use carbon passenger cells for two of its forthcoming electric cars, the i3 hatchback due to be released in 2013 and the i8 sports car, expected a year later.

Last year, it opened a $100m state-of-the-art carbon fibre plant in Moses Lake, Washington, as part of its strategy to automate production of ultra-light carbon fibre-reinforced plastics for future vehicles.

Meanwhile, Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner is made of 50 per cent carbon fibre material.

In a joint statement, the two companies said recycling composite material at point of use and at the end of the product life is therefore “essential” for both of them.

“This collaboration agreement is a very important step forward in developing the use and end use of carbon fibre materials,” said Larry Schneider, Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ vice president of product development.

“It is especially important that we plan for the end of life of products made from carbon fibre. We want to look at ways to reclaim and reuse those materials to make new products.”