BMW adds CE 02 to its electric range By Ben Purvis
Back in 2021, BMW teased its next electric offering in the form of the Concept CE 02 - and the production version is all but identical now it's been added to the company's 2024 range.
Although it has minibike-style proportions, suggesting it's aimed at the likes of the Honda Grom (that's gained a strong following among young riders), the CE 02 is actually rather larger than it first appears, with 14-inch wheels, where the Grom has 12 inches. Overall, its length and wheelbase are roughly similar to a mid-sized, 125 cc - 300 cc scooter.
BMW's marketing material clearly suggests the CE 02 is aimed at teen riders, suggesting they'll be graduating from skateboards rather than other motorcycles, and as such it's offered in two forms, both learner-legal.
The main version is an 11 kW (15 hp) model that's equivalent to a 125 cc motorcycle or scooter, eligible to be used by learners in countries signed up to the EU's Third Driving Licence Directive. The second variant is restricted to 4 kW (5 hp) and a 45 km/h top speed to suit moped regulations, opening the door to even younger riders in some countries. They'll need to be wealthy teens, though, as the BMW costs around twice as much as a Honda Grom.
'new learner-legal model aimed at well-heeled teens'
Both versions use the same air-cooled motor, with 55 Nm of torque from 0 rpm to 1,000 rpm. On the full power bike, the 11 kW arrives at 5,000 rpm. At 132 kg it's relatively heavy for a 125 cc-equivalent, although the restricted version is 13 kg lighter. That's because the standard model has two 198 kWh, 48 volt battery packs, while the moped-spec model has just one. They are purpose-made, lithium-ion batteries (far superior to the off-the-shelf lead-acid batteries used to make the 2021 concept version work), and provide a range of 90 km between charges, with a top speed of 95 km/h. The single battery, 4 kW version manages 45 km/h and 45 km of range.
Although the batteries are removable for maintenance, they're intended to be left in the bike during charging, which takes 312 minutes for a full charge via a household socket. An optional fast-charger can reduce that time to 210 minutes, and a 20% to 80% charge - more representative in the real world - takes half that long.
There are two riding modes - 'Flow' and 'Surf' - and an optional 'Highline' package adds a third 'Flash' setting with a sportier throttle map as well as the fast-charger. It also brings heated grips and a different graphics package.
As well as the 'CE' range of electric scooters (the larger CE 04 is already in production), BMW is working on a range of electric motorcycles which will carry the 'DC' name, followed by numbers to reflect their size and performance level. The first of these is likely to be unveiled within a year.
