BMW CE 04 electric scooter confirmed for Australia

July 7, 2021July 16, 2021 John Carey 3586 Views BMW CE 04, BMW electric motor scooter, BMW Motorrad CE 04

BMW Motorrad has revealed the production version of its CE 04, and the beginning of a new electric-only era for the German company’s scooters.

BMW Australia has announced the CE 04 will be priced from $20,350 before on-road costs and will arrive in the first quarter of 2022. Our market’s standard specification, options and full pricing are listed at the bottom of this article.

“Just like the CE 04, all future new BMW Motorrad models for urban mobility will be pure electric,” said BMW Group boss Oliver Zipse at the scooter’s online presentation.

Futuristic but practical, the design of CE 04 sticks closely to the near-production Definition CE 04 shown last year and the Concept Link show scooter from 2017.

The CE 04 that will arrive in BMW Motorrad showrooms has a riding range of up to 130km on a charge. Its low-mounted 8.9kWh battery pack uses the same fifth-generation lithium-ion cells as BMW’s newest EVs, the iX and i4.

Quick charging the CE 04 requires a Type 3 connector.

The 0-100 percent recharge time from a standard 2.3kW European wall socket is 4:20 hours. An optional 6.9kW quick charger cuts this to 1:40 hours.

The scooter’s liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous motor will come with 23kW and 31kW maximum outputs. The restricted version will be legal for 16-year-old riders in most of Europe. Drive to the rear wheel is by toothed rubber belt.

BMW Motorrad claims the CE 04 will beat any other scooter on the market in a traffic light drag race. Its 0-50km/h acceleration time is only 2.6 seconds. The scooter’s top speed is 120km/h.

There’s room for a helmet in the CE 04’s side-access underseat storage compartment

The CE 04 will come with three standard riding modes; Road, Rain and Eco. A fourth mode, called Dynamic, will be an optional extra.

In line with its looks, the CE 04 comes will advanced tech for a scooter. A 10.25-inch TFT display screen will be standard. It’ll deliver a range of functions – navigation, infotainment, and more – similar to a car.

Navigating menus on the standard screen is via scroll-and-click controller on the CE 04’s left handgrip

Though the CE 04 looks unlike anything else, its creators point to built-in design advantages. The 20-litre underseat storage compartment has side-opening lids, making the area accessible while aboard the scooter. With conventional scooters, getting at the cargo compartment involves, stopping and dismounting to flip up the seat.

BMW Motorrad has developed a range of extras designed specifically for the CE 04 to increase its carrying capacity, including waterproof side bags and a rear topcase. A range of six different seat designs in two heights will also be offered, and there will be small and large windshields to choose from.

Australian pricing and specification

BMW CE 04: $20,350^*

Standard specification:

Liquid-cooled permanent magnet electric motor
Power 31kW
Torque 62Nm
8.9kWh air-cooled lithium-ion high voltage battery
2.3kW charger
Tooth-belt drive (total gear ratio: 10.5)
Dynamic Package (Headlight Pro, Adaptive Headlight, Daytime Riding Light, Riding Modes Pro, ABS Pro)
Comfort Package (Heated Grips and Backrest Comfort Seat)
Seat Heating
Tyre Pressure Control
Centre Stand
LED indicators
LED headlight and taillight
10.25-inch TFT display
Ventilated mobile phone charging compartment
USB-C charging port
Front and side storage compartments
Light White paint

Options

Backrest Comfort Seat II: No cost option
(note: recommended for riders above 190cm tall)
Windshield High: $140
Anti-theft alarm system: $375
30A Quick Charger: $1,330

BMW CE 04 Avantgarde: $20,690^*

Includes all standard specification from the CE 04 and adds the following:

Windshield High
Magellan Grey Metallic paint

Options

Backrest Comfort Seat II: No cost option
(note: recommended for riders above 190cm tall)
Anti-theft alarm system: $375
30A Quick Charger: $1,330

*Recommended Retail Pricing is shown and includes GST, but excludes on-road costs. Customers are advised to contact their nearest BMW Motorrad dealer for all pricing enquiries.

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...