*Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3: mpg N/A, CO2 emissions 0 g/km, nominal power output (electric motor) 75/102 kW/hp at 4,800 rpm; peak power output (electric motor) 125/170 kW/hp, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (combined cycle) 12.9 kWh. Total range: 118 miles (combined cycle). Customer orientated range: up to 100 miles. Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3 with Range Extender: 470.8 mpg, CO2 emissions 13 g/km, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (weighted combined cycle) 11.5 kWh.Range without use of Range Extender: 106 miles (weighted
combined cycle). Customer orientated total range: up to 186 miles. Customer orientated range without use of Range Extender: up to 93 miles. Figures may vary depending on different factors, including but not limited to individual driving style, climatic conditions, route characteristics and preconditioning.
bmw i3: on
the mark
in berlin
Well known for its
thriving start-up scene,
Berlin is fertile ground
for a new generation of
creatives looking to challenge the established
norms. For local architect and entrepreneur
Arne Petersen, sustainability is paramount – as
is rethinking the architect’s role in society. He
recently hit the streets
of Berlin in the BMW i3.
“It is a good match with
what I do and what I
believe the future should
be about,” he says. “It’s
understated and smart.”
bmw i3 3 MONOCLE
02
new direction
“There’s no compromise,”
Petersen says, discussing the
shift from traditional cars to
electric models. “You just
have to change your habits
in terms of refuelling. I work
in the start-up scene where
there’s a lot of discussion
about cars standing around
most of their life – they’re
actually only used for five
per cent of the time.”
bmw i3
3
MONOCLE
Arne Petersen
Architect and entrepreneur
Berlin
Arne Petersen set up Young Architecture
Practice to reimagine the future of the
industry with the social impact of design
as its driving force. Petersen’s housing
concept The Future Box is an innovative, ready-made dwelling, designed to
empower people in developing settlements;
it won prizes at the Lisbon Architecture
Triennial and São Paulo Biennale.
Petersen also founded sharing platform Hoard, which uses lockers to connect people with goods and services
they can exchange on the go. “I’m aiming
for sustainability to become something
fundamental – nowadays people talk about
it as a special feature but in the future
everything should be about sustainability,”
he says. “In the end you won’t need to talk
about sustainability anymore because it
will be omnipresent.” Petersen took a spin
in the BMW i3 to check out its sustainable
credentials.
on the up
“A lot of the interior reminds
me of aircraft design, which
is good because it’s known
for being functional, lightweight and straightforward.”
Total journey
distance: 28.2km
Arne Petersen’s
day in the BMW i3
09.00
Petersen leaves
his studio
MITTE
15.00
Stop at
bookshop
Do You
Read Me?!
in Mitte
CHARLOTTENBURG
TIERGARTEN
18.00
Paris Bar
for dinner
09.30
Coffee at
Café Einstein
11.00
Visit to shared
workspace
Betahaus
KREUZBERG
the real deal
With one eye on sustainability and the other on design,
Petersen is as impressed with
the BMW i3’s looks as its ecofriendly engineering. “I think
people need to regard sustainability not as an abstract
term but a concrete example
– like this car,” Petersen says.
“It’s a shape that derives
from the concept. It gets
interesting when these ideas
become an object and not
just an abstract word.” Proof
of the car’s sustainable
pedigree comes in the form
of seat cushions made with
a climate-responsive wool
blend and naturally tanned
leather upholstery.
Petersen’s day begins at
his studio not far from
Berlin’s Tiergarten
Next he heads to Café
Einstein for a caffeine hit
Petersen moves on to
co-working space Betahaus
in Prinzessinnenstrasse
After a busy day,
Petersen finishes at Paris
Bar via the buzzing Mitte
neighbourhood for a bite
to eat, before heading
back to his studio
direct approach
“Even though I started as
a neutral participant I’ve
got to save up for this car,”
says Petersen. “It breaks
some conventional rules in
car design. It has a kind of
directness when it comes to
exposing the carbon fibre,”
he adds, admiring the natural kenaf-fibre dashboard
and sustainably sourced
eucalyptus wood trim.
Facts & figures*
The BMW i3 goes from
0 to 60km/h in under
four seconds and to
100km/h in 7.2 seconds
The high-voltage lithium
ion battery comes with
an eight-year warranty
The BMW i3’s fast charging
capability makes charging
in less than three hours
(0-80%) possible
The i3’s interior heating
system uses up to 30 per
cent less electricity compared to a conventional
electric heating system