DISCOVERING FUTURISTIC MOBILITY TODAY

The future of mobility is electric. Electricity is now widely perceived as efficient, simple and environmentally friendly. However, the discussion about e-mobility often highlights the challenges of long-distance travel. Conventional electric cars often do not offer the necessary range for long distances between cities or even countries. This is where the Electric Car Express (ECE) concept, led by the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, aims to provide a remedy: a simple and convenient solution that makes it possible to take your personal electric vehicle on the train, charge it and enjoy the journey at the same time. To visualize this idea, the KIO has produced a one-minute concept movie that concisely conveys the most important aspects of the ECE system to the viewer.

The film shows how intuitive it is to use the ECE. Viewers experience how a driver drives his electric car into the side of the train and connects it to an integrated charging station. The driver can then relax on the train and enjoy the journey to the next big city. Once they arrive at their destination, they get into their now fully charged car and are ready to explore the city independently and freely. This concept is supported by a minimalist and stylized visual approach that focuses on the central idea and emphasizes visual clarity.

The production of the animation required a well thought-out workflow that encompassed all phases from pre-production to the final cut. In the pre-production phase, detailed design sketches and meaningful storyboards were created to help develop the environment, plan sequences precisely and make the concept clearly understandable. All 3D models, from the train to the stations, were developed specifically for this film and are inspired by real-life models to increase their believability.

A special approach was used for the character models: high-resolution 3D scans of real people were created with our 3D body scanner and then stylized and rigged in Blender. All processes were specially animated in order to remain flexible in production and create an authentic feel.

The cars, the train and its gates were animated along motion paths to allow for large, fluid movements that can be moved and deformed as needed by adjusting the path. Tracking shots were used for shots where the size or speed of objects needed to be emphasized.

The iterative approach allowed continuous improvements to be made to the level of detail, such as the geometry of the train and car, or visual elements such as the battery status indicator or charging plug. This ensured that viewers could intuitively understand how the system works without the need for explanatory words.