The new BMW CE 04 E-scooter is a connected vehicle aimed at daily commuters and weekend tourers alike. A 60.6 Ah (8.9 kWh) battery cell capacity and estimated 80-mile range headline its day-to-day capability. And a 10.25-inch TFT color screen anchors the thorough connectivity feature set. BMW also emphasizes its unusual aesthetics, dubbing the design “forward-looking” and “avant-garde.”
The CE 04 scooter, which will hit showroom floors in 2022, was announced today. BMW shows off a lot of attention to detail in the scooter’s build — even though it’s still early, there’s a lot to know. We sorted through it to bring you the highlights.
CE 04 Electric Motor Stats: More Badass Than You Probably Think
The first of the CE 04’s stats that really hit us was its top speed. A 75-mph ceiling keeps it well clear of relegation to grocery-getter status. Drive power comes from a permanent magnet EMP 156 electric motor. Its maximum output is 42 hp at 4,900 rpm and 44 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,500 rpm. According to BMW, it’s capable of supporting two people on longer trips. As specified above, the max range checks in around 80 miles.
BMW’s in-house motorcycle department, Motorrad, collaborated with its car department to optimize the CE 04’s performance. The collab imbued the scooter with a variety of cross-over technologies, such as battery manufacturing and voltage control elements for the motor.
BMW Drive Technologies, Charging, and Drive Modes
The CE 04 E-scooters performance tech doesn’t end at the motor.
An energy recuperation system helps recover energy whenever possible, extending the scooter’s range and improving its efficiency. Front and rear disc brakes and a 2-channel ABS from Bosch deliver braking security, and a banking sensor in the ABS optimizes cornering safety. The CE 04 borrows a traction control system from BMW’s combustion motorcycles, including a facsimile of its Automatic Stability Control, which limits rear-wheel slip.
An automotive-based charging system reduces recharge times. The supplied cable (2.3 kW) takes the battery from 0 to 100 percent in 4 hours and 20 minutes. Goose it with the optional Level 2 charging cable (6.9 kW), and the charging time drops to 1 hour and 40 minutes. And with either cable, charging from 20% to 80% takes 45 minutes.
Four ride modes are also available. Three come standard, including “Eco” (optimized for battery efficiency), “Rain” (reduced drag torque while coasting and accelerating), and “Road” (full capability). Optional “Dynamic” mode combines full acceleration with intense recuperation via something BMW calls “a direct set-up of the performance characteristic curve.”
They’re the engineers — I just work here.
BMW CE 04 E-Scooter Connectivity
The CE 04 e-scooter comes equipped with a standard 10.25-inch TFT color display screen with integrated map navigation and smartphone connectivity. The screen’s glass cover is anti-reflective and resists scratching and fingerprinting.
Drivers can program the screen to display a bevy of information. Navigation is available through the BMW Motorrad Connected app. Energy information such as charge percentage and recuperation status can be displayed. And the standard handlebar multi-controller cycles between navigation, media, phone, setting screens, and more.
Motorrad Connected updates automatically to bring the user the newest maps and latest features. App users can also save routes and view travel information and statistics.
The screen mirrors the user’s phone via a LAN link, so BMW builds in an actively ventilated compartment with charging ports for phone storage while riding.
Future Scooter: The BMW CE 04’s “Avant-Garde” Aesthetic
BMW goes above and beyond for the CE 04 E-scooters technology and driver experience, but it also strongly emphasizes its atypical styling. With this, too, it seems, the manufacturer sets a lofty goal.
Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design at BMW Motorrad, puts it this way: “The new BMW CE 04 is the link between the user’s analog and digital worlds. It is both a means of transport and a means of communication for the big city commuter. With its forward-looking design based on an innovative package, it sets out to redefine the scooter segment.”
“Clear lines, generous surfaces with elaborate details underscore the future-oriented first impression,” BMW’s PR department says. “The low, long body and the diagonally rising front section form a modern, uncluttered silhouette. At the same time, the flat battery in the underbody provides new freedom of design.”
Modern, uncluttered silhouette? New freedom? As if we needed any more high-brow seducing.
BMW CE 04 E-Scooter Availability
Per today’s announcement, all we can confirm is that the CE 04 E-scooter will be part of BMW’s 2022 lineup. As yet, an exact release date is unconfirmed.
2022’s base BMW CE 04 model MSRPs at $11,795. The premium package (which adds the ABS, level 2 charging cable, and more) will run $1,650 more than the base price — $12,020.
The way — or at least the scooter — of the future is here. Hop on and learn more at BMWMotorcycles.com.
