Long live longevity. It’s the future of mobility.
Julian Herget | Think Piece
Sustainable future mobility depends on longevity. That is, vehicles people want to use often and for a long time. Doing this demands better, branded solutions.
How do I know this? Because it’s KISKA’s job! At a brand and design agency like ours, we create products that generate brand value and loyalty – now and in the future. Such products encourage frequent, long-term use; ultimately extending life cycles and reducing the consumption of more stuff.
To be clear, long-lasting products are not the same as sustainable ones. But longevity and sustainability do go hand-in-hand. If you value something, you’ll want to use it for years…or decades…or generations. Like ZEISS binoculars, a LAMY pen, or my 2007 Land Rover Defender. In that regard, achieving sustainability via longevity is simply a hygiene factor for KISKA. A goal we must meet with every project and client.
The world doesn’t need more products. We need to make better ones.
You’re probably thinking, “Alright, so how does all of this affect the future of mobility?”. Well, it’s my firm belief that sustainability in future mobility depends on longevity. That means mobility solutions that are user-driven, thoughtfully designed, and well made.
Unfortunately, the “hot new tech” isn’t cutting it. We’ve all seen the photos. Abandoned e-scooters dumped into city rivers. Mountains of broken-down e-bikes. These should have been a lasting solution for future mobility. Instead they caused a huge amount of waste and public disgust. They weren’t built well enough to stick around for more than a few months, nevermind the time necessary to generate brand loyalty or sustainable impact.
The future of mobility isn’t crying out for the latest tech. It is screaming for brands that have a long-lasting product at their core. My mother’s old bicycle for example, is so durable, dependable, well-designed, and easily refurbished that she used it for over 20 years. Our family continues to use it today. THAT’s how you reduce consumption.
Design made to last doesn’t follow the fashion. It sets trends.
To achieve longevity, future mobility solutions must be designed holistically. With product, user experience, and brand united in order to achieve something unique, authentic, identifiable, durable, and loved.
Herein lies KISKA’s responsibility to create a desirable offer. To do this, brands need courage to break free of the status quo, curiosity to explore unknown territory, and consistent implementation. KISKA then brings the creative power. We are a diverse group of creators, thinkers, and doers that tackle brand challenges strategically and hands-on. Our in-house sustainability experts inform our projects to ensure product solutions – at minimum – achieve longevity. We tap their knowledge to make design decisions that minimise the environmental impact of materials, development processes, and manufacturing.
The future of mobility is a “fruit salad” of long-lasting solutions.
There are no silver-bullet solutions to improve the sustainability of future mobility. It will not be an either/or situation (I.e. car or no car).
Rather, the future of mobility is a “fruit salad” made up of many product and service solutions. Each of them brand-driven, as well as targeted to specific needs and shaped by local contexts. You choose the best option for your needs and desires. Could be an e-bike, robotaxi, public transport, car share, SUV, scooter, motorcycle…or something else entirely. Whatever it is, in the fruit salad of future mobility there are more opportunities to create options so well-designed and well made, you will be happy to use them five, 10, and 20 years down the road.
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