The BMW CE04 can save you a fortune at the "pumps". Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
The new energy revolution in the automotive industry isn’t limited to cars. Motorcycles have also been roped into the overall effort to spare the earth’s fossil fuels and reduce our carbon footprint.
After sampling many all-electric cars over the last five years or so, The Citizen Motoring got out hands – and bums – on a two-wheel equivalent in the form of the BMW CE04 all-electric scooter. And what an interesting learning curve it was on this bike that would have wowed as a space-aged design in a sci-fi movie not that long ago.
The 04 in the title refers to the 400cc petrol-powered segment this scooter plays in. Technology deriving from BMW’s all-electric cars like the X3 xDrive 30e and iX are used in the form of an electric motor and 8.9kWh lithium-ion battery. The powertrain sends a very handy 31kW of power and 62Nm of torque to the rear wheel via toothed belt.
Suffering the same fate as electric cars due to the weight of the battery, the BMW CE04 at 232kg is heavier than some petrol-bikes bigger than 1 000cc. But because there is more than enough power and it is beautifully balanced, you don’t really notice it.
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And it gets even better. The BMW CE04 has a reverse gear. By holding down a button next to the left handle and turning the accelerator, you have the luxury of gliding out of parking spaces.
But the best part still needs to be its lightning accelerator. BMW claims the scooter will spring from 0 to 50km/h in 2.6 seconds, just what it takes to leave the other cars you left behind at the green lights in awe. The more you do this, the more it starts feeling like a big toy you just can’t put down.
When set to Dynamic, one of four driving modes along with Eco, Normal and Rain, you start getting confident to very few cars will beat you off the line.
Braking is just as sharp and comes in the form of twin 265mm discs with four-piston fixed callipers in front. And a single 265mm disc and single-piston floating calliper in the rear.
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Suspension comes in the form of a telescopic fork allowing 99mm wheel travel in front. And suspension strut allowing 91mm wheel travel in the rear. Both wheels are 15-inch in diameter, 120/70 in the front and 160/60 in the rear.
The BMW CE04 features a floating seat, which is very versatile. You can sit way forward in a traditional scooter position, sit right back with your legs almost straight or use the pillion foot pegs to use the seat as a regular bike seat.
Sticking to the futuristic theme, the scooter has a 10.25-inch colour touchscreen display with smartphone connectivity and ventilated smartphone storage with type-C USB port. Grip warmers and a self-cancelling indicator system are also very welcome features.
Underneath the seat is a storage area big enough to fit a smaller helmet or grocery bag or two. Or stow the charge cab;e.
BMW claims a range of over 100km, but the best we got over the course of two weeks was 90km. And this number dwindles fast when you start enjoying the launches too much.
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But when you use the BMW CE04 for short city trips – the reason it was built for – the cost benefits outweight the range limitations. Consuming 8kWh per 100km, the 36km daily round trip from my house to the office costs a ridiculous R9. That is only 25 cents per litre at a prepaid electricity rate of R3/100kWh.
Even if you squeeze 36km out of one litre on the smallest petrol-scooter, you will still end up paying about three times more for your daily commuting. And you’ll struggle to reach the 127km/h the BMW CE04 is limited too.
Charging it was a pleasure too. It took less than two hours from around 30% to full from a normal house wall socket. This means it will charge overnight during severe loadshedding.
Like electric cars, the BMW CE04’s downside is its price. Despite the peanuts you’ll pay for commuting, there is now way it can offset the starting of R295 850, which is due to the customary taxes on electric vehicles.
Once that problem can be solved, there won’t be a cheaper alternative to get to work than the superb BMW CE04. Or a more fun one for that matter.
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