Radical BMW electric scooter revealed

November 11, 2020November 19, 2020 John Carey 4717 Views BMW Definition CE 04, BMW electric scooter, electric scooter

Designed to look unlike any other big scooter on the market, the long and low Definition CE 04 is sure to divide opinion. And BMW knows it…

“Maybe it will polarise, but it will definitely stand out,” says BMW Motorrad design boss Alexander Buckan.

The CE 04 is one of a series of EV premieres in BMW’s #NEXTGen 2020 series. Others are the BMW iX, a five-seat crossover due to go into production late in 2021, and a new Mini that will be unveiled next week.

According to BMW Motorrad, what you see with the Definition CE 04 is very close to the scooter they will put into production at some unspecified date in the future.

BMW Definition CE 04 is designed to polarise

BMW Motorrad is something of a pioneer in the field of urban electric two-wheelers. Its C Evolution scooter has been in production since 2014, though it never made it to Australia.

While the C Evolution looks a lot like an ICE-powered scooter, the Definition CE 04 is a deliberate departure from convention. BMW Motorrad designers say the CE 04’s flat battery, hidden in the lowest section of the scooter’s body, enabled innovations like the side-opening storage area under its seat. This illuminated compartment is large enough for a helmet.

Underseat storage compartment opens from the side

The placement of the battery pack means the CE 04 has a low centre of gravity, which BMW says “ensures playful handling”.

The CE 04 features a digital display similar to that seen on other BMW scooters, and a range of specific rider gear, including a jacket with inbuilt lighting and phone charging, is being developed.

Jacket with built-in lighting is being developed by BMW to go with its new scooter

But BMW isn’t revealing tech details just yet. Nothing is known for sure about the scooter’s battery capacity, charging capability, range, acceleration, weight or price. But the CE 04’s electric motor, single-sided swingarm and toothed rubber belt drive strongly resemble those of the C Evolution.

Low seat makes getting on an off the Definition CE 04 easy, says BMW

The only hint BMW did drop during the presentation was that the production version of the CE 04 will be able to cover more than 10 times the typical 12km that an urban scooter rider does in a day.

John Carey

Grew up in country NSW, way back when petrol was laced with lead. Has written about cars and the car business for more than 35 years, working full-time and freelance for leading mags, major newspapers and websites in Australia and (sometimes) overseas. Avidly interested in core EV technologies like motors and batteries, and believes the switch to electromobility definitely should be encouraged. Is waiting patiently for someone to make a good and affordable EV that will fit inside his tiny underground garage in northern Italy, where he's lived for the past decade. Likes the BMW i3, but it's just too damned wide...