After two years, I’m proud to announce the return of our partnership with BMW. When working on Chapter II, it was important to dig into the brand’s history and search for a story that would align with the evolution of our partnership. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of one the most important milestones in the brand’s history - the introduction of a pioneering BMW electric car. The 1970s were a time when technicians were exploring various methods of technological advancements in the automotive world. At that time, the world was experiencing difficult times, which motivated engineers to develop new options for futures mobility. Development of BMW’s first electric car began in 1971. The plan was to introduce it for the 1972 Olympics, which were set in the brand’s hometown of Munich. The 1602, a 2-door metal-class car, was chosen as the silhouette to debut this new concept. They stripped the 1602 of its engine and replaced it with a battery pack. At that time, the idea was to have multiple battery packs that could be replaced within the car when it ran out of energy. These batteries gave the car a maximum range of 60 km with a top speed of 70 km/h 100 Km/h. The interior was also redesigned to accommodate these updates, including widening the tunnel and replacing the tachometer with a meter that indicated the range left in the battery. The 1602 was painted orange to match the colors and typographic of the Olympic Games. It also featured Olympics Games insignia on the side, along with the wordmark “Elektro-Antrieb” aka “Electric Drive.” It accompanied the runners in the marathon and was also used as camera cars and taxis for athletes. Although this model never made it into production, it was a major milestone for BMW as it proved the concept of electric-powered vehicles. Many electric concepts and eventually production cars would follow, as BMW continues to innovate in this arena. All thanks to the original 1602.