Unlike the car world, there are still plenty of divided opinions about electric powertrains in motorcycles. Almost all big names have shrugged off the idea of large electric motorcycles, and whoever makes them is already struggling to do numbers. BMW Motorrad is one of these, and its top honcho has just made some solid remarks regarding its EV plans.
BMW Has No Plans To Build A Premium Electric Motorcycle
During the Concept RR presentation at the Concorso d’Elleganza on Lake Como, our friends at 1000PS had an interesting conversation with BMW Motorrad CEO Markus Flasch. The top honcho confirmed the German brand is not looking to whip up a premium motorcycle that would serve as an electric alternative to the GS or RR bikes. Instead, the focus remains on the urban mobility segment, which is where electric two-wheelers are currently making the most sense.
You should also know BMW’s ex-head honcho had confirmed the company’s full-sized EV was postponed to 2025. But with these new remarks, we doubt that will be the case now. Instead, we could see the company increase focus on bio-fuels (such as hydrogen), just like it’s doing in its four-wheeler vertical.
BMW CEO Markus Flasch said:
The industry has just learned the hard way when strategies don’t work. You can’t simply say, “There’s a trend in cars, so it must happen in motorcycles too.” The key is to be closer to the customer. If you combine that with a sense of the market and a rational approach to the physics—weight, package—you quickly get to the point: An electric motorcycle that competes with a BMW R 1300 GS or BMW M 1000 RR is unthinkable in the long term. And there’s no demand for it either. Hence our strategy: Electromobility is aimed at urban mobility, the city area—not Saturday mornings or long journeys. An electric GS or double R? That’s way down in our drawer.
BMW Currently Sells Two Electric Two-Wheelers In The US
As a refresher, BMW already has two such offerings: the CE-04 and the CE-02. The former is an electric scooter, whereas the latter is an electric mini-moto machine of sorts. Both are marketed under the ‘Urban Mobility’ initiative, so performance is average at best. The CE-04 is the flagship, thanks to its 42 horsepower and 45.7 pound-feet peak output. It can also travel 80 miles in one go, with a top speed of 75 miles per hour (electronically limited). So, some freeway ability is present.
The CE-02 is more of a city street vehicle. It has 14.7 ponies (rated) and 40.5 pound-feet, with a maximum top speed of 59 miles per hour. The battery has a capacity of 3.92 kWh, good enough for 56 miles of range. Neither EV is easy on the pocket, though. The CE-04 has a base price of $12,195, while the CE-02 sells for $7,599.
Key Specifications
|
Specs |
CE-04 |
CE-02 |
|
Power |
42 HP |
14.7 HP |
|
Torque |
45.7 LB-FT |
40.5 LB-FT |
|
Transmission |
Single-speed |
Single-speed |
|
Top speed |
75 MPH |
59 MPH |
|
Maximum range |
80 miles |
56 miles |
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