The BMW Group at the Greentech Festival.

Munich. On 16 – 18 June 2021, the renowned Greentech Festival in Berlin will bring together companies and organisations who put a sustainable future at the heart of what they do. The BMW Group is a cooperation partner of the festival and will also be present at the Exhibition and contribute to the Conference. Bernd Körber, Head of MINI, and Holger Hampf, President of Designworks, will be sparking ideas as keynote speakers and exploring how they see their roles in shaping a better future.

Sustainability is a guiding principle at the BMW Group.

“The visionary, sustainable and future-focused platform provided by Greentech fits perfectly with the BMW Group’s mission to be a constant driver of change,” explains Stefan Ponikva, Vice President BMW Brand Experience. “We are keen to use our involvement at this year’s Greentech Festival to highlight the BMW Group’s ability to innovate and showcase its performance potential beyond the classical automotive themes. Sustainability and the potential of the circular economy for the environment and climate protection play a very important role in the activation of our platforms. As part of its “RE:THINK, RE:DUCE, RE:USE, RE:CYCLE” approach, the BMW Group will use the IAA MOBILITY 2021 show in September to provide an all-encompassing outlook of how the use of primary raw materials for the car of the future can be drastically reduced,” adds Ponikva.

The position of the BMW Group is clear: the principle of sustainability is firmly established across every aspect of the company. Environmental and societal sustainability, responsibility for its products and a clear commitment to conserving resources stand at the core of our company strategy. This not only looks at the emissions generated by its vehicles, for example, it covers the entire value chain – the full supply chain, production processes, use phase and recycling.

MINI leads the way on sustainable, individual mobility in urban areas.

MINI has always been a creative brand focused on urban mobility. At MINI, global challenges such as climate change and urbanisation are viewed as opportunities in which to drive forward innovations which not only improve the customer experience but also have a positive societal and environmental impact. For this reason, MINI makes sustainability an unwavering, integral part of its business model. A prime example of how this could shape the urban mobility of tomorrow is the MINI Vision Urbanaut, which brings tangible form to the future vision of the MINI brand and of sustainable mobility. “The character of the MINI Vision Urbanaut is shaped by a new awareness of sustainability. The interior uses natural and recycled materials, which create a very agreeable feeling of space. And that’s important, as ultimately the MINI Vision Urbanaut is not just a vehicle, but also a living space,” explains Bernd Körber.

Designworks points the way to the future.

Using design to meet the challenges of the future is what Designworks, the BMW Group’s creative consultancy, is all about. As “architects of the future”, Designworks develops future-focused concepts for a wide range of sectors and customers around the world from its three locations in California, Shanghai and Munich. Holger Hampf, President of Designworks, explains the underlying necessities: “We are at a turning point on the path to collective well-being. No individual, company and or government can tackle global challenges such as climate change, health or conservation of resources on their own. We have to do it together – and that requires strong partnerships. Design plays a significant role here, because it can develop visions and use visualisations to bring tangible form to the resulting potential. In times of change, in particular, the positive energy and consultancy expertise of design companies can help to turn uncertainty into excitement, point the way ahead, set out strategic approaches and initiate changes in societal behaviour.”

BMW Group at the Exhibition.

One example of the innovative power of design can be found in the electrified wingsuit created by BMW i and Designworks in collaboration with base jumper and extreme sportsman Peter Salzmann. At the Greentech Festival, the BMW Group will be presenting the first electric drive system for a wingsuit which can transport the age-old dream of flying into reality in a totally new way. An interactive virtual-reality experience allows visitors to the Greentech Festival to (almost) fly like Peter Salzmann with the electrified wingsuit.

Another highlight at the BMW exhibition area is the latest BMW model from its electric product range: the BMW i4 eDrive40 Gran Coupé – the first purely electrically powered BMW coupé. Added to which, the BMW Group is presenting the BMW i3 Urban Suite, a mobility experience tailored entirely to the passenger’s individual requirements. Here, a standard BMW i3 was nearly completely redesigned (only the driver’s seat and dashboard were retained) to create an interior that brings to mind the relaxed ambience of a boutique hotel. Several of these vehicles will be in active service as VIP shuttles at the Greentech Festival.