This Is The Electric Car BMW Needs To Build

Long before the quirkyBMW i3, the brand's first-ever production electric car, BMW had already made an electric vehicle when it revealed its 1602 Elektro-Antrieb in 1972 at that year's Olympic Games in Germany. The two-door electric coupe was, of course, based on the 1602, a car that helped topave the way for the iconic 3 Seriessedan we have today.

To pay tribute to the 1602 Elektro-Antrieb, designer David Obendorfer decided to create a modern interpretation called the BMW 02 Reminiscence Concept. And boy, are we glad he did. The retro-modern design seems to be a perfect combination of the best new and old BMW styling cues - and none of the worst.

At the front, round lights have been retained as on the original, along with a slim kidney grille that looks positively dainty alongside the giant mouth on the latestBMW 4 Series. From the side, there are hints of the 2 Series coupe with the Hofmeister kink right where it should be. This makes sense since the designer says the dimensions are similar to the 2 Series.

The short trunk with round taillights is an unmistakable throwback to the 1602. It looks clean, fuss-free, and yet thoroughly BMW all at the same time, proof that the brand's design team could hark back to the past without shocking us into oblivion as they've done lately.

Obendorfer didn't stop there and also created a fresh interior design. It makes just as strong of an impression as the exterior with twin digital displays and a steeply angled dashboard.