Biomega SIN electric concept car wins Wallpaper* Design Award

An open-wheel, fully electric vehicle with a modular carbon-fibre body and an uncluttered interior, the new SIN car brings a less-is-more approach to sustainable urban transport. It is the creation of Biomega, a cutting-edge bike specialist based in Copenhagen – where 62 per cent of the population prefers to commute by bike – and just scooped Best Power Trip in the Wallpaper* Design Awards.

Founded 20 years ago, Biomega is known for its collaborations with blue-chip names including Bjarke Ingels and Marc Newson. But its most radical move yet is this first foray into the electric car market, named after the city of Singapore and designed as a response to urban sprawl. ‘Our customers are willing to use their bikes for trips up to 10km, and electric bikes for up to 20km, so SIN is for those who have no choice but to drive to work,’ explains Biomega founder Jens Martin Skibsted. ‘We did not expect to be working on an electric car when we first started, but we’d do anything that is relevant for getting from A to B in the city.’

Shown as a prototype in November 2018, SIN is a compact four-wheel drive vehicle with an electric motor on each wheel. Its main battery is housed in the floorpan, while three swappable batteries in the rear may be used to extend range. The lightweight body allows a maximum speed of 130km/h, good enough for the odd out-of-town trip. The prototype’s wrap-over windshield runs the full length of the roof, while an extra, low-level glass front panel further increases visibility. Fisheye cameras are fitted in lieu of rear-view mirrors.

The clean, spacious interior features four seats resembling Herman Miller’s ‘Aeron’ chairs. ‘You basically have a living room inside the car,’ says Skibsted. ‘We don’t differentiate between design and functionality,’ adds Biomega’s lead industrial designer Guillermo Callau, who calls SIN ‘rational and functional’.

As originally featured in the February 2018 issue of Wallpaper* (W*239)

INFORMATION

SIN electric vehicle, €20,000, by Biomega, available from 2021-23. For more information, visit the Biomega website