BMW expands electric scooter lineup with CE 02

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Electrics may have a way to go — make that a long way to go — before they take over the full-sized motorcycle market, but they make perfect sense for the urban-bound scooter. To wit: BMW is unveiling the second of its battery-powered scooters, the CE 02 and its more of a guerilla fighter than the sleek and sophisticated CE 04. In fact, it looks pretty much like an electrified versions of Honda’s cult-classic Ruckus.

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Of course, BMW’s version uses two 1.96 kilowatt-hour battery to power a 15-horsepower electric motor, no internal combusting to be seen. Britain gets a lower power, 5.4-hp version with just one of those 1.96-kWh batteries and a smaller motor, but it’s aimed at the teenage entry-level rider (for whom its approximately 7,000-pound price tag would seem a bit of a stretch). Our dual motor version, meanwhile, costs $10,095, something of a bargain compared with European pricing. Either way, says BMW, there’s 40.6 pound-feet of instant torque available which should make the 132-kilogram CE 02 fairly lively, though BMW doesn’t specify any performance figures for the top-of-the-line model. We do know, however, that our dual-battery versions is good for 90 kilometres of range according to European range standards. Count on 75 klicks under Canada’s rating regime.

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While the CE 02’s frame is a basic steel tube affair, the front forks are upside down items, there’s a single monoshock out back and the front brake is controlled by an electronic ABS system. The rear brake, you ask? Well, says BMW that is used for brake regeneration during stopping so it is controlled by something called Recuperation Stability Control which prevents the wheel from locking as the electric motor reverses polarity to send some juice back to the battery.

BMW makes much of the CE 02’s riding modes, the most notable thing being their, well, hyper-trendy names including:

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As for accommodations for new riders, the new BMW rides on 2.50 x 14-inch front and 3.50 x 14-inch rear disk wheels fitted with 120/80-14 and 150/70-14 tires. Those are surprisingly wide for something with just 15-hp, but their small diameter means the CE 02’s seat height is but 750-millimetres, low enough to make the CE 02 accessible to a wide audience.

BMW says the bright 3.5-inch TFT display offers information about speed, battery charge status and more. You can also plug in your smartphone via an integral USB-C charging socket. Meanwhile, BMW’s Motorrad Connected lets you monitor your charge status and predicted end of charging on your smartphone thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity. Two charging options are offered — 0.9 kilowatt and 1.5 kW — the latter cutting half an hour off the lower-powered version’s 170 minute time in a 20 to 80 per cent charge (a full charge needs more than four hours even using the speedier of the CE 02’s charging options). You can control Connected Services using the keypad on the handlebar, though I can’t see that making John Law very happy. The UK’s MCN also says that there will be a full line of accessories including luggage and windshields for those looking for more than just urban scootering.

As of yet, there’s no indication when the BMW CE 02 will come to market.