What would BMW's first electric car look like today?

The first electric BMW arrived in 1972 and was called BMW 1602 Elektro-Antrieb. What was the goal of this model? To allow the athletes taking part in the Munich Olympic Games to get around all the venues where the events would take place. This charming electric BMW 1602 became the first of a long list of electric concepts that culminated in 2013 with the launch of the BMW i3, the first series-production electric car from the Bavarian brand.

It is important to note that the BMW EV was based on the petrol BMW 1602 and shared the same design lines. It was exactly the same, orange in colour, and the inscription BMW Elektro-Antrieb could be read on its doors.

The first electric BMW presented during the Munich Olympic Games had an electric motor located at the front but designed to drive the rear axle. It produced around 45 CV, enough to go from 0 to 50 km/h in eight seconds, while its top speed was 100 km/h. Figures that were not bad at all for 1972. At the Olympic Games, BMW used two units of the already legendary 1602 Elektro-Antrieb to transport VIP personalities and serve as support cars at several long-distance events such as the marathon. However, the electric BMW 1602 never made it to production.

What would the modern successor to the BMW 1602 Elektro-Antrieb look like?

Designer David Obendorfer, who has created many retro-style concepts over the years, has taken on this task and created a true work of art. The modern successor to the BMW 1602 Elektro-Antrieb is called BMW 02 Reminiscence Concept and, although it is a shame, it has nothing to do with the Bavarian brand. This concept recreation aims to pay tribute to the first electrified project of the German car manufacturer. The concept features rounder lines that have brought it squarely into the 21st century.

The author of this recreation, which will surely win the hearts of Bavarian brand enthusiasts, based his virtual creation on the current BMW 2 Series Coupé, and it is probably the path to follow if BMW decided to build a modernised 1602 Elektro-Antrieb. More than one fan would be delighted!

David Obendorfer, designer of this impressive concept of the electric BMW 1602, has said that “my goal was not to recover all the design features of the current BMW 2 Series at any cost, but to build a respectful reinterpretation“. “Both the exterior and interior design try to stay away from complicated surfaces and busy lines, exploring a soft three-dimensionality that can somehow communicate zero emissions.”

This recreation has a length of 4,510 mm, a width of 1,805 mm, a height of 1,400 mm and a wheelbase of 2,730 mm. This is not the first time David Obendorfer has dared to modernise some of the most iconic models of the Bavarian marque, and the results are tremendously fascinating. What do you think?