BMW CE 04 review: more than just an electric scooter

It's nothing new that BMW motorcycles are so popular. What is less known, however, is that there are also electric scooters from BMW. One of them is the new CE 04. In my test you can find out how it performs on the road and whether you can have fun with it.

The CE 04 is practically the further development of the C evolution scooter. Visually, however, they no longer have anything to do with one another. One of the reasons for this is that the CE 04 is built on a platform that was created entirely for it. This not only makes the scooter look futuristic, BMW has of course also thought of something. But more on that later.

tl;dr: A good example of urban electric mobility

With the CE 04, BMW has certainly not designed a cheap scooter for every budget, but I still see it as a model for other manufacturers and as a glimpse into the future. The technology in the CE 04 works perfectly and the look is simply eye-catching. Whether that is good or bad is something everyone has to decide for themselves. One of the most important points for me is that I feel safe on a "two-wheeler" and I felt that way both day and night, thanks to the very bright headlights with optional cornering lights. The electric scooter doesn't have to hide in a group of motorcycles and can be ridden all year round thanks to the heated grips and seats. I have been asked every now and then whether the "moped" has Apple CarPlay or cruise control, but the answer is no. Anyone who buys BMW's further development of the C evolution has certainly not done anything wrong and will experience driving pleasure. However, I can also understand that some people find the 12.950,00 euros (including 19 percent VAT) for the standard equipment to be too expensive.

Design: Futuristic, futuristic and futuristic again

If you find out about the CE 04, you will not be able to avoid this adjective. The long, smooth body, which then has a lot of sleek edges here and there, is like something out of a movie that came true. He gets a lot of looks and questions from adults, children and other bikers. The scooter is available in two different colors: magellanic gray metallic and bright white. It is well thought out that even with the white, all components that could get dirty, such as the front, the wheel covers or the seat and tread are kept dark. Well designed, BMW! Everywhere on the scooter you will find small but fine design elements such as sleek triangles or the lettering "CE 04".

Handling: Proud opponent for any A2 machine

Despite the long wheelbase of 1.675 millimeters, which easily exceeds that of an average motorcycle, the CE 04 can easily be thrown around winding roads. Because your feet are not in front of you like on a "normal" scooter, but next to you, you can comfortably negotiate curves with your knees bent and straight country roads with your legs almost stretched out. Due to the battery installed in the floor, the center of gravity is low, which leads to stable handling. The factory suspension is a little softer, making it perfect for the city and small bumps in the road.

The scooter can accelerate to 2,6 kilometers in 50 seconds pro Hour. It is interesting that the performance-reduced version for A1 license holders only takes 2,7 seconds. Here you can see the advantage of the electric drive, where the power is directly applied. At 120 kilometers pro Hour is electronically locked. I rarely had to brake myself. Here the recuperation of the electric motor is sufficient in most cases. AproBraking pos: When the side stand is down, you have a kind of immobilizer, which is the equivalent of a motorcycle being in gear.

Driving modes: a profile for every situation

There are three driving modes to choose from as standard: Eco, Rain and Road. You can optionally configure the Dynamic mode, which then comes with ABS Pro and offers more safety when braking on a slope. In Rain and Dynamic mode, the range is around 15 kilometers less than in Eco and Road mode. The modes also have the following characteristics:

• Eco mode for range-optimizeds driving: Strong recuperation, less strong throttle response
• Rain mode for driving on wet roads: Hardly any recuperation, medium throttle response
• Road mode for driving on dry roads: Hardly any recuperation, strong throttle response
• Dynamic mode for dynamic driving on dry roads: Strong recuperation, very strong throttle response

Comfort: Heated seats and back support

The seat is narrow, but that does not detract from the seating comfort. Thanks to the optional seat heating, the heated grips and the comfort seat with back support, you can comfortably drive until the battery is empty. The passenger also has enough space. At the front, the body is significantly wider than the rest of the scooter, resulting in slightly improved wind protection. But if you value it a lot, you should still use the optional high windshield. I found that the comfort indicators, which after acceleration or speed dependentgigantic route should go out automatically, often reacted too late and I then mostly turned it off myself. For people who like to forget this, however, the function is quite helpful.

Picture: TechnikNews

Storage space: Enough for daily life

The first electric flap is on the left under the handlebar. Larger cell phones also fit here, even if not quite in the holder provided for this purpose, but you can still put AirPods in there, for example. The compartment is cooled down to 30 degrees from a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and has a USB-C charging connection. In the middle is a 12-volt on-board socket. On the right there is the compartment for the charging connection, which conveniently opens manually. I would have liked a small LED to indicate that charging is in progress. The second electrical compartment is under the seat. A full-face helmet, charging cables or even a few groceries fit in here. It is also illuminated, which is particularly useful in the dark.

BMW Motorrad connectivity: the interaction between TFT display and app

I really liked the 10,25 inch TFT display. It runs smoothly and is well designed. Standard information such as speed and range can be displayed with split screen and at the same time, for example, the current route or music that is currently playing. All of this is controlled with the known Multi-Controller and the menu button, which is no problem even when wearing gloves. The BMW Motorrad Connected app provides additional functions in conjunction with the scooter. For example, you need the app running to display the current speed limit (map-based) or the navigation map. You can even set in the app whether you want a fast, short, efficient or winding route. The app also records data such as the route driven with the degree of lean angle, ABS activations, speeds and more, if you want. The CE 04 can also be connected to the driver and passenger helmets in the settings.

Charging and range: great for the city

Ultimately, the CE 04 is a scooter that relies on charging stations. Of course, both are indications of use in the city, which, despite the length, is quite easy and convenient due to the reverse gear. Nevertheless, the scooter has a specified range of 130 kilometers according to the WMTC standard. If you drive in an energy-saving way, even 115 kilometers are realistic for city and cross-country trips. When driving dynamically, however, there is also a temporary consumption of 9 kWh pro 100 kilometers. Charging takes place at a household socket or wall box with 2,3 kW in just under 3:30 hours from 0 percent to 80 percent. Alternatively, you can configure the quick charger to charge with Type 2 with up to 6,9 kW from 65 percent to 0 percent in 80 minutes.

Picture: TechnikNews

Thanks to BMW Germany for providing the CE 04 for 3 weeks!