July 29th was the international debut of the all-new BMW i3 electric car. While clearly part of the BMW brand, BMW Group’s lead designer Adrian van Hooydonk talks about the new fusion of design and eco-awareness that they hope to bring to the automobile industry.

“The design or the shape of the thing becomes the most important means of explaining what it is or what it can do,” van Hooydonk says. [1] While other electric cars attempt to retain the sporty shape of cars traditionally meant for a combustion engine, van Hooydonk says that this car is “not about how fast; it’s about how good, how efficient … It’s authentic.” [2]

The i3 has a dashboard made of dried grass; its driving is emission-free; its navigation chooses the most energy efficient route and analyzes your driving style against energy needs. All the while, the new i3 is attempting to pioneer an aesthetic unique to its luxurious field.

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