Scooters aren’t very popular here in the ‘States. In most European cities, you’ll see scooters everywhere, as they’re excellent alternatives to typical four-wheeled urban transportation. They’re small, easy to navigate through traffic, easy to park, great on fuel, and relatively cheap to buy. However, in the US market, riding a scooter is akin to wearing Crocs with socks; practical and likely comfortable but you’re probably going to get made fun of. But BMW plans on cornering the scooter market in the US with its all new, all-electric, BMW CE 04.
I have to admit, the CE 04 looks like fun. It’s entirely electric, looks like something out of Blade Runner 2049, and just seems like an incredibly effective, efficient means of transportation. While the US market isn’t big on scooters, BMW things the CE 04 can turn that around, according to this recent article from Tech Crunch.
The BMW CE 04 recently made its North American debut at the 2021 LA Auto Show, where BMW Motorrad of North America’s Vice President Trudy Hardy said “I think what’s interesting about having a scooter in this category is I think it will start to solve some transportation challenges.”
While the CE 04 won’t attract typical American motorcycle enthusiast, who typically prefer Harley Davidsons, Hardy believes that the little EV scooter will be an approachable alternative to urban mobility for many new customers. “It’s going to bring new people into the brand that might not have considered a motorcycle, but are going to find this to be a friendly solution.” she said.
The BMW CE 04 will hit US showrooms in early 2022 and start at $11,795. It’s powered by a single electric motor at the rear wheel that makes 42 horsepower and 45 lb-ft of torque. That motor gets its energy from an 8.9 kWh battery pack, which can provide up to a surprising 80 miles of range.
It’s a cool little EV scooter, the BMW CE 04, and it will be interesting to see if American customers catch on, especially in dense cities like New York, Chicago, and LA.
[Source: Tech Crunch]
