Kitzbühel | Tyrol – With the CE 04, BMW is launching a completely new electric scooter with pioneering design and technology. As the only major car company with a large e-scooter in its lineup, the Bavarian firm is already advancing its stake in two-wheeled electromobility. The test showed what the electric future of the scooter market has in store…
As part of the BMW Group, Salzburg-based BMW Austria has been responsible for the import and distribution of the Group’s brands into this country since 1977. These currently include BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad. 2021 was the most successful year in history for BMW Motorrad in Austria, with 2,084 new registrations. The company’s newest e-scooter shows that BMW is taking notice of the unstoppable trend toward electromobility in the two-wheeler market.
After the C evolution, the BMW CE 04 is already the second generation of an all-electric scooter. This time, its futuristic design clearly diverges from its conventionally powered brothers. I was able to pick one up at BMW Austria for a test in Tyrol.
LOVE AT SECOND GLANCE
Of course, the futuristic, innovative design is inherently polarising. At first glance, the CE 04 seemed a bit too bulky in the front. After a few days, however, I got used to the unfamiliar appearance and even warmed up to it. The clear lines and shapes fit well with the forward-thinking concept. The wide covering of the winglets offers good protection against weathering and also looks chic. Only the handlebars are covered with a bit too much plastic for my taste.
The rear section of the scooter is more open and so it appears lighter. The single-sided swingarm and suspension strut are clearly visible. So is the timing belt that transmits power to the matte black rear wheel. The “Magellan grey metallic” colour of the test vehicle complimented the aesthetics very nicely. The colouring, as well as the orange side accents on the seat and the tinted windshield, are part of the “Avantgarde” optional extras. The seat is surprisingly much more comfortable and pleasant than its minimalist appearance would suggest. The side-opening storage compartment, which can also be reached while sitting, offers enough space for a charging cable, a full-face helmet and, in my case, a camera.
OFF TO THE RACES
As soon as I lifted the scooter out of the side stand and maneuvered it, I noticed that it was no lightweight. The bike weighs in at a hefty 231 kilos (509 lb). It’s understandable, then, that a reverse gear can be activated by simply pressing a button on the left handlebar. This is easy to control and makes manoeuvring much easier. Once you’re on the road, you’ll quickly forget about the weight. I was immediately impressed by the ease and vigour with which the vehicle accelerates. In 2.6 seconds, 50 km/h (31 mph) is reached without clutching or shifting gears. This launches you to the front of the pack at every traffic light.
The scooter moves very gracefully and is agile enough for me despite its long wheelbase. At least, it did in a small-town setting—tearing through dense, urban streets was not on the menu for this test. On my first trip from the Pillerseetal valley via Hochfilzen to Saalfelden, I was able to fully enjoy the advantages of the long wheelbase on the winding country road. Together with the high-quality chassis, the CE 04 was unfazed by the road, even in faster curves. To my delight, this gave me that unmistakable motorcycle feeling.
PURELY ELECTRIC MOVEMENT
The liquid-cooled electric motor offers a maximum output of 31 kW (42 hp) and, in addition to impressive acceleration, enables the CE 04 to reach a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) without much effort. A somewhat weaker L3e-A1 variant is also available, which allows driving from the age of 16 with an A1 license, or with a regular driver’s license plus some short additional training. Directly above the electric motor are the drive electronics, which among other things control recuperation. This automatic type of energy recovery feels like engine braking in an internal combustion engine while feeding energy back into the battery. Depending on the driving mode, the intensity varies. It’s a bit too strong for my liking, especially while in dynamic mode. However, it’s a matter of taste, so the ability to adjust it individually would make sense.
FUTURISTIC HIGH-TECH MEETS PRESENT-DAY MOTORCYCLE
BMW Motorrad has not underdelivered on the technical equipment. Although some of them are available at extra cost, all the driving assistance systems currently available for two-wheelers are on board. This starts with the lean angle-dependent traction control and the cornering ABS Pro. The standard slip control automatically adjusts the drive torque and thus additionally increases driving stability. Braking at the front is by four-piston fixed callipers on two 265 mm brake discs. Steel flex lines ensure the best possible dosing. The automatic activation of the parking brake when the side stand is folded out takes a bit of getting used to, as you can then no longer move the scooter.
The CE 04 has a 10.25-inch TFT colour display that is easy to read in any lighting. The full HD resolution with 1920 x 720 pixels is sharp and detailed. A variety of information can be displayed either in one large view or on split screens. The multicontroller on the left side of the handlebar, already familiar to BMW motorcycle owners, is used for control. With the help of the BMW Motorrad Connected smartphone app, full map navigation can be displayed. Meanwhile, you can store your phone in the actively ventilated storage compartment and charge it using the USB-C port. The navigation worked flawlessly throughout the test, but I needed to reconnect the Wi-Fi repeatedly, which made the process less convenient.
CHARGE LIKE AN E-CAR
When charging at the household socket with the standard Mode 2 charging cable, I was able to charge the battery from 52 to 100 percent in 1:50 hours. The charging power achieved was 2.3 kW. This is the maximum for the CE 04, unless it has the optional fast charger, as the test vehicle had. Like the standard charger, this is integrated into the scooter and enables a maximum charging power of 6.9 kW via a Type 2 charging socket, both at the wallbox at home and at public charging stations. If the charging station does not have a permanently connected cable, then you’ll need an optional Mode 3 charging cable for optimum charging performance.
I had the chance to test both variants for you in Kitzbühel. First, I drove to the Smatrics fast charging station at the parking lot of the Hahnenkammbahn. Using the BMW Charging card, I was able to start the charging process contactlessly and charge exactly 4.13 kWh at the Type-2 column (22 kW) in 40 minutes (charging power 6.2 kW), filling the battery from 24 to 75 percent. This value corresponded more or less exactly to the manufacturer’s claim. We continued across the street to the da emobil charging station in the WKO Kitzbühel parking garage. At the public Type 2 wallbox (11 kW), I used the Mode 3 charging cable. In 21 minutes, the charge level increased from 74 to 94 percent. With 4.9 kW, I achieved a slightly lower charging power. This was due to the already high SoC.
ARMIN ELECTRIC CONCLUSION
All in all, the BMW CE 04 is a successful step forward in electric urban mobility. The large wheelbase and heavy weight are somewhat detrimental to handling, but in return, you get a fully-fledged motorcycle with an excellent chassis and very good roadholding. After a short familiarisation period, manoeuvring is no longer a problem. However, you’ll feel more confident if you already have some experience with two-wheelers. The range of around 100 kilometres (62 mi) is perfectly sufficient, especially in the city, and short tours after work are also doable. This e-scooter is not intended for long motorcycle tours. The weight/battery size/range ratio could be a bit better, since electric motorcycles with a similar weight travel twice as far. However, those competitors are also twice as expensive.
The entry-level price for the CE 04 in Austria is 12,150 euros (£12,490 in the UK, $11,795 in the US). The test model with some extras was 14,069 euros (minus 1,900 euros due to e-mobility subsidies). Because you can only get a reasonable charging performance with the integrated fast charger, it should be included in the standard model. Considering the technical equipment and quality, however, I would label the e-scooter as inexpensive. It sits at the lower end of the price spectrum in the realm of large electric two-wheelers—a bold indication of BMW’s seriousness for two-wheeled electromobility and its desire to make a difference.
Text and photos: Armin Hoyer – arminelectric.com
Title and driving photo: Dagmar Berger
Translation from German to English: Ethan Shenhar
