Electrical BMW CE 02 is an eParkourer for the city jungle

The brand new BMW CE 02 is the second all-electric scooter from the long-established German model’s motorcycle division, positioned as trend-setting city transport for youthful riders. Undercutting the sooner CE 04 scooter in each measurement and value, the CE 02 is BMW’s lightest and most approachable bike within the vary, as we found on the worldwide launch in Lisbon.

Designed particularly for on a regular basis life within the metropolis, BMW suggests the eye-catching CE 02 is neither an e-motorbike nor an e-scooter, proudly naming the bike ‘eParkourer’. Advertising and marketing phrases apart, there may be an interesting robustness and playfulness to the CE 02 that’s largely absent from another bike within the phase.

BMW CE 02 in Lisbon: ‘enjoyable transport for the city jungle’

The bike is a clean-sheet design from BMW, demonstrating an ultra-modern reductive look that gives a future-focused impression. Look nearer and also you’ll uncover a metal body with aluminium single-sided rear swingarm and a mixture of oversize and undersize, spherical and hole design particulars that collectively give the CE 02 a really distinctive enchantment; this can be a bike with actual avenue cred. Painted in black and gray with a mixture of matt and high-gloss surfaces, the top-spec Highline mannequin that we sampled introduces a 3rd, extra distinctive petrol blue shade.

BMW Motorrad’s head of design Alexander Buckan describes the CE 02 as ‘one way or the other extraordinary and one way or the other totally different to every little thing we’ve seen up to now on our streets’. ‘We consider this little bike goes to open a brand new chapter for BMW Motorrad,’ he continues. ‘It’s addressed to our youngest prospects and that’s why we’ve chosen a brand new path by way of the visible look of the bike, however we’re 100 per cent assured that we’re going to succeed in all of the ages with the CE 02. It is a bike that makes you are feeling younger once more.’

Two various efficiency variations of the CE 02 can be found, and within the UK, each fashions are appropriate for riders with L plates. The entry stage 4 kW model is proscribed to 45 km/h, which meets the necessities of the AM driving licence class. This implies it may be ridden within the UK from the age of 16 (14 in some European international locations) and by riders who’ve a automobile licence. 

Riders aged 17 or over can experience the 11kW model, which is able to as much as 95 km/h, presenting a compelling various to conventional 125cc scooters. Each fashions provide a beneficiant 55 Nm of torque and the 11kW model presents as much as 90 km of vary. As soon as plugged in, the 4 kW eParkourer can go from 20 – 80 per cent cost in 85 minutes by way of a traditional family socket. The 11kW mannequin, when used with the elective 1.5 kW fast charger, can cost from 20-80 per cent in 102 minutes.

‘With our youngest prospects in thoughts, our mission was to create a motorbike that expresses pure enjoyable,’ says Buckan. ‘The CE 02 needed to be mild, nimble and easy, and supply real driving pleasure, intuitiveness and lightheartedness. We concluded that we would have liked a type of hybrid; not an e-scooter and never an e-motorbike, so we created what we name the “eParkourer”. Enjoyable transport for the city jungle. For its aesthetic language, we combined bike DNA along with BMX bicycle DNA, in an act of neo-constructivism. We blended all these components and the result’s the dynamic design of the CE 02.’

The BMX affect could be seen within the large riser bars, low 750mm seat peak and enormous 14-inch wheels, which add to the CE 02’s playful nature. Highline spec provides gold anodised suspension forks and a triple color seat into the visible combine. City excessive sports activities have additionally influenced the design of the seat with its skateboard-inspired type, in addition to the entrance footpegs, which double up as a useful skateboard service. Prepared for the city jungle the eParkourer might be, however there are many sensible options, too, resembling heated grips, passenger seize handles and full smartphone connectivity with onboard USB charging.

Driving across the streets of Lisbon, the CE 02’s high-quality suspension and low weight play key roles within the expertise. Weighing 132kg in 11kW type (the 4kW mannequin weighs simply 119kg) and with a well-distributed, low centre of gravity, it’s extremely simple and attentive to experience. The grippy Michelin tyres and well-damped forks do a advantageous job of coping with potholed or cobbled streets, permitting you to concentrate on weaving by way of site visitors and having fun with the youthful dealing with.

In terms of having fun with the experience, the CE 02 presents two normal driving modes: ‘Stream’ and ‘Surf’, together with the elective ‘Flash’ mode (normal on the Highline), which presents essentially the most dynamic expertise. Your chosen driving mode additionally dictates the quantity of recuperation supplied by the powertrain. You’ll be able to simply monitor your chosen mode on a 3.5-inch TFT display screen, which additionally shows essential info like velocity, battery cost standing, and vary. As for the opposite controls, throttle and brake really feel are spectacular for a motorbike on this class and the rider touchpoints would not look misplaced on BMW bikes costing significantly extra.

All this upmarket packaging and intelligent design comes with a price ticket that will appear misplaced for its supposed demographic. Within the UK market, the CE 02 is priced at £8,450 for the 11kW model, with a further £880 required for the Highline improve bundle. Whereas the eParkourer exudes desirability and youthful enchantment, its value seems costly in comparison with its opponents. Nonetheless, for city riders looking for an entertaining electrical bike that makes a daring assertion, the CE 02 stays in a category of its personal.