With the CE 02, BMW is having another go at the market for electric two-wheelers. It will be cheaper than the electric CE 04 maxi scooter, which is struggling to achieve local sales above single-digit numbers. Will South Africans bite, this time around?
Europeans love maxi-scooters, like the 560 cc Yamaha TMAX and 400 cc Suzuki Burgman. But to South Africans, maxis are a niche within a niche. Add electric propulsion as yet another sub-category, and you have a Russian doll’s worth of niches. If your mates are commuting and touring on their 1200 cc plus adventure bikes, it takes a real man to be the little doll on a 300 or 400 cc scooter, let alone an electric.
Subsequently BMW Motorrad Mzansi has not exactly made a killing with its quick and cool CE 04. That you can get a 1250 GS for the same money (about R300 000) hasn’t helped either.
With the new BMW CE 02, BMW Motorrad is presenting another electric two-wheeler, and it’s not an e-assisted bicycle. Thanks to its lower price, fun riding character and interesting visual design, the CE 02 is a “dynamic partner for a new kind of mobility and provides great riding fun for city dwellers,” BMW said in a media release.
Multi-terrain all-rounder for Gen Z?
“It’s electric, it appeals especially to young people and it’s neither an e-motorbike nor an e-scooter. It’s an eParkourer,” BMW says, hoping to appeal to young riders while tapping into the cool of parkour.
The manufacturer says it has created the CE 02 for the city and the urban environment. It is “nimble, practical, robust and reduced to the essentials in terms of design. Large wheels meet the demand for robustness and at the same time ensure riding fun on many terrains,” BMW explains.
Low weight and high torque
Power output of 11 kW and 55 Nm enable the CE 02 to accelerate quickly at traffic lights and offers a dynamic riding experience, BMW reckons. With a top speed of 95 km/h, riders can use highways, but it would be safer to ride where the speed limit is 80 km/h. According to BMW, the CE 02’s range is “more than 90 km”.
The CE 02 is less powerful than the CE 04, which has a maximum output figures of 31 kW and 62 Nm, and a limited top speed of 120 km/h. (For the spec nerds: the 313 cc BMW G 310 R’s engine generates a maximum of 25 kW and 28 Nm and the 590 cc engine of the Yamaha TMAX cranks out 35 kW and 55,7 Nm.)
The CE 02 weighs just 132 kg and its low seat height of only 750 mm make it usable to many riders.
Flow and Surf riding modes
The CE 02 comes with two riding modes as standard: Flow and Surf. “Flow offers the optimal set-up for cruising along in urban traffic, while Surf provides a dynamic riding experience beyond the bustling city traffic,” BMW explains. A third mode named Flash is available as a “sporty and dynamic addition”. It is included in the Highline pack or as an original BMW Motorrad accessory. We will have to experience these modes firsthand to tell you more about them.
Charging the battery
The CE 02 comes with an external charger, which enables charging at standard household sockets. The optional quick charger ‘fills’ the battery from 20 percent to 80 percent in an hour and 40 minutes, according to BMW UK.
Frame, suspension, and wheels
The CE 02 has a torsionally rigid double-loop frame made of tubular steel. Hydraulically damped telescopic forks operate at the front, while a single-sided swingarm and a directly pivoted adjustable shock absorber are used at the rear. Wide tyres are mounted on cast light alloy wheels. The CE 04 has disc brakes front and rear, with BMW Motorrad ABS on the front wheel.
TFT display and connectivity
A TFT display shows riding speed, battery charge status and much more. A USB-C charging socket allows the rider to supply a smartphone with power. Using the BMW Motorrad Connected app, your smartphone shows the predicted end of charging thanks to networking via Bluetooth, as on the BMW CE 04.
In the Highline variant, the cradle mode allows the BMW Motorrad app in the smartphone (held in a smartphone holder) to be controlled safely as an additional display using the keypad on the handlebar. It is also possible to record trips using the app. With the BMW Motorrad Connected Services (also included in the Highline package) the owner can use the app to view the charging status and other information from any place where she has internet access.
How much and when?
The challenge for the local arm of BMW will be to sell the bike at a tempting price. In Germany, the price for the CE 02 “eParkourer” is €8 500, while the CE 04 maxi scooter costs €13 000 – about 35 percent more. Using the CE 04’s local price as a guideline, the CE 02 could go on sale for just under R200 000, which is about double the price of a BMW 310. So, the CE 02 could cost R100 000 less than the CE 04, but only Gen Zs with wealthy parents can aim that high. It’s more likely that successful Cape Town Millennials will trade their 300 cc Vespa scooters in on CE 02s.
According to BMW Motorrad South Africa, the CE 02 will arrive here in the second quarter of 2024.
Specifications of the BMW CE 02
- Maximum power 11 kW, max. torque 55 Nm
- Top speed: 95 km/h
- 0-50 km/h in 3 seconds
- 1:40 h for a 20-80% charge (with optional quick charger)
- Telescopic forks at the front
- Adjustable rear damper
- Belt drive
- LED headlights
- BMW Motorrad ABS (front wheel only)
- ASC (Automatic Stability Control) and RSC (Recuperative Stability Control).
- Reverse gear
- Riding modes Flow and Surf as standard
- Low seat height of 750 mm
- Suitable for riding two-up
- Keyless Ride
- LED headlights including daytime running lights and side indicators.
- 3,5” (8,9 cm) micro TFT display
- USB-C socket
- BMW Motorrad Connected Services
- Anti-theft alarm preparation
- Highline package includes: heated grips, highly integrated smartphone holder, external fast charger, Highline colour design, Flash riding mode.
