BMW's Club of Pioneers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 12.22.06
We don't think much of BMW's Hydrogen 7, and do think that their Street Carver is probably a better solution for getting around, but they are certainly trying to develop some green cred. Now they have launched the Club of Pioneers website, which is "about a mobile lifestyle. It gathers individuals and institutions who care about one of the most important and challenging issues of our time. The cause is in part by our mobility, that is, the emissions that change the climate around the world."
BMW continues: "The Club of Pioneers is about a sustainable lifestyle. We rely on a kind of living that is responsible and aesthetic at the same time. In the fields of vehicles as much as energy technologies, design, architecture, food etc. you find new approaches to sustainability. We unite these voices on this platform and create a model for a new kind of living." which sounds familiar.
You can join the club, and earn Pioneer Miles. "As soon as you are registered in the Club of Pioneers you can interact with others and take your stance. With every contribution you make for the Club you get Pioneermiles." Crank up the miles to Level 3 and they give you a blog of your own where you can "set your agenda for a clean and polluting emission-free future" It is a sort of social networking site where you see profiles of all the members, but that is about it, no chat or email built in.
They have some interesting bloggers, including our own Nick Aster and PSFK's Piers Fawkes. who have both contributed posts worth reading.
However, ultimately I don't understand the point. While their competitor Mercedes is making a real difference with thousands of Smart Cars on the road, BMW has a useless and expensive hydrogen car, a new site called BMW CleanEnergy peddling it, and now this Club. If BMW really wanted to effectively pioneer clean energy, they should put batteries in a Mini. As for the Club, we have joined and will see how it evolves. ::Club of Pioneers
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Just the the sack of reminding people where they come from. I used to be a big hydrogen proponent, I still see some use. The car is designed to use both gasoline (primarily) and hydrogen (secondarily).
BMW Clean energy has been in part on my desk top since the beginning of 2005. Their very cool hydrogen race car is quite radical. It probably isn't superiorly green, however remember without myself finding this BMW Clean Energy I wouldn't be the standfast Tree Hugger I am.
So please allow them to do free advertisement for a Greener Cleaner World; who knows maybe I'll met someone close to me.
People are not all going to start driving little two seated battery powered city cars (I favor public transport within cities anyway)!
I think BMWs Hydrogen7 may be just what it needs to get some decisionmakers thinking. Who wouldn't want to drive a zero emissions vehicle if it doesn't mean you are restricted to a 50 mile radious and little space and comfort.
And the bifuel system is perfect for getting the infrastructure developed.
Suggesting that they should put a battery in a MINI is not understanding the point.
Having only small zero emission cars is like saying: hey only care about nature if you wear birkenstocks.
Also, there are already some compact cars sized hybrid cars out there . I wouldn't expect an automaker like BMW to come out and just do the same. They may have missed the first wave, but I sure expect them to deliver as they always have.
I think the argument is quite easy: if being green is being made easier to everybody, in this case for people who like fancy big cars, then make cars that are green and zero emissions for them too. Result: less emissions overall, and it also means that people who love cars can have their cake and eat it too.
Easy.