In partnership with BMW i, AllBright is on a metaphorical road trip to explore everything electric cars, the future of travel and of course, sustainability.

According to a recent study conducted by insurance company LV, by 2030 at least one third of all used car purchases will be electric, which is great news for the planet. And taking into consideration the simplification of EV engineering, manufacturers now have the opportunity to focus more on the vehicle's innovative outer aesthetic, to set themselves apart and create brand identity.

Luckily for us, we were able to get the inside scoop from Annette Baumeister, Head of Colour and Material Design at BMW i. She talks to us about her career journey, and the importance of perspective when it comes to rethinking the status quo.

So, whether you're electric-curious, or on the cusp of making the switch, read on to hear from the person responsible for making sure the end product merges sustainability with a high-quality driving experience.

Tell us briefly about your career journey

After my studies in textile design in Germany and the UK, I started as a material and colour designer at BMW where I worked for several product lines, first as a designer, and later as a creative director. I then took over the colour and material department at MINI design, building up the team who were responsible for creating initial design through to series production. My next move was to Shanghai as Studio Director of our Designworks Studio, an innovation studio for the BMW Group, designing holistic systems that impact and improve our world. In 2019 I moved back to Munich to head up the Colour, Materials and Finish department for the BMW range, including our BMW M performance cars and our electrified range within BMW i.

What's the most exciting part of your job right now?

Being part of a huge change in Design; especially with materials which face tremendous challenge as they need to become more sustainable in a holistic way. New materials need to be developed from early inception and paving the way for them is exciting. Working globally, with our colleges in LA and Shanghai, gives us an amazing bandwidth and different point of views. Right now, everything has to happen in parallel, there is no opportunity to stand still.

You've worked all over the world, but what's one thing you'd say is pretty universal when it comes to design?

The motivation of designers to make an impact. 'Beautiful' is not enough anymore. And failing an idea doesn't make us give up, we have to keep experimenting.

What's your most unconventional source of design inspiration?

I find the most inspiration comes from conversations. It can be a sentence or an image which resonates with me. Discussions around a challenging situation are often a good starting point. People having debates and different opinions about ways of working opens horizons and helps me think in unconventional ways.

Would you say taking sustainability into consideration makes designing more challenging, or exciting?

I would say challenging = exciting. Very few topics are just black or white, and we are at the beginning of a new era, trying to find our way. You need to convince people and find new alliances, like the companies we work with on new materials have different approaches and are super motivating with their visions.

What advice would you give to someone looking to pivot their existing skills and experience into the sustainability industry?

Be open minded, and never give up. We are told customers don't consider sustainability as something attractive, but I think this attitude will change much quicker than we think, and we should be ready. Designing gets more complex and more cross-over of teams is needed, which will ultimately bring new ways of working and creating.

Find out more about the BMW i cars here.