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Goodbye Mobility red – artists design new X-Art car
30.01.2024
We celebrated the launch of our 500th electrically powered vehicle by giving it a unique visual design. Two successful Swiss urban art artists were at work – and they experienced a premiere: for the first time, they weren’t allowed to apply their spray directly to the car.
When they create their designs, Alex Hohl and Patrick “Redl” Wehrli normally have the object they’re spraying right in front of them and a can of spray paint in their hands. They apply their artistic designs to cars, vans and train carriages. “Until now, we have always sprayed the vehicles directly.” The contract for Mobility was a novelty. The Zurich urban art artists had to hand over their design to the wrapping specialists of Christinger AG in Brugg (AG). only then was the design mounted on the car itself.
It was a challenge for the experienced artist duo that they that they were unable to complete their work in person, not to mention the fact that they never actually had the car physically in front of them. “We had to create a digital concept that embraces the entire car as seamlessly as possible.” And how do they find their work in nature? Alex Hohl and Patrick Wehrli were thrilled to see the car live for the first time during the photo shoot at Trafo congress centre in Baden. What worked especially well? “We like the colour composition and the vibrancy of the 3D graffiti elements.”
Everything starts with pencil and paper
Creative work on the Volkswagen ID.3 began in unspectacular fashion at the drawing board: meticulous hard work is of the essence here. “We always start with pencil and paper. We tried to incorporate our shapes based on the shape of the car. Here we were still working in the traditional way. The final print file is then executed digitally, using a complex vector illustration.” It was then handed over to the wrapping experts.
There was never any doubt that the final look was to be richly coloured. “The car definitely had to stand out” – this was the philosophy pursued by two Zurich artists, who are now delighted that the VW ID.3 is not only the most recent member of the x-Art family, but also the 500th electric vehicle in the Mobility fleet. It’s certainly a milestone for the car sharing provider, which is looking to electrify its entire fleet (around 3,000 cars) by 2030. And this mission was something the artists took care to integrate in their work, too: “The idea is for the vibrancy and intense colouring to symbolise the mobility of the future.”
Will they be having an electric premiere of their own soon?
And what do the two artists think of car sharing? Life without their own car is inconceivable for both of them, not least for logistical reasons. “When we apply our designs to large walls and have to take 100 kg of acrylic dispersion and dozens of spray cans with us, we wouldn’t be able to do so without a car.” When they’re not transporting their art utensils, the pair are often out on their bikes. “We probably use a bike for 80% of our travel – without electric assistance,” they’re keen to emphasise. And what about electromobility on four wheels? “We’ve never been electric before, but we can well imagine trying it out soon.” Possibly with the brand-new x-Art car.
Share your x-Art experience
Would you like to receive a CHF 20 drive credit from Mobility? Then share your personal Mobility x Art moment with us with the unique ID.3 Instagram with #mymobilitymoment and mark @mobility_carsharing. The car is available to you from the 31st January 2024 on Baden station AKARA Tower (five minutes on foot from Baden railway station) and can be booked via the Mobility app or our website. Enjoy!
Did you know that this isn’t the first Mobility art car? There was a previous occasion on which the car sharing provider had an artist apply a design to one its vehicles. The first Mobility x-Art car designed by Bernese artist Gigga Hug. Find out more about Gigga Hug on their Website.
You can find out more about the artist duo and their projects directly on their channels:
REDL – ARTWORKS.CH
Alex Hohl
Photos: Patrick Besch