At the rudder

New electric "star for the city" BMW CE 04

20 September 2021

With the new BMW CE 04, BMW Motorrad continues its electric mobility strategy for metropolitan areas. The new scooter received an electric propulsion system, futuristic design and innovative digital services.

The history of the BMW CE 04 began with the BMW Motorrad Concept Link presented in 2017, as well as the 2020 BMW Motorrad Definition CE 04 close to production prototype.

Oliver Zipse, Head of BMW AG: “The BMW CE 04 is our new electric city star. It combines electric propulsion, emotion and pure riding pleasure. It features the latest technology, including our best battery cells available on the BMW iX. All future new BMW Motorrad city models, like the BMW CE 04, will be purely electric.”

new electric city star BMW CE 04 With the new BMW CE 04, BMW Motorrad continues its strategy of electric mobility for cities. The new scooter received an electric propulsion system, futuristic design and innovative digital services.

Optimal power.

The new BMW CE 04 is equipped with a 42 hp electric motor for exceptional driving pleasure. Acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h takes just 2.6 seconds. Even in the L3e-A1 vehicle class with limited engine performance, the driver can deliver 31 hp. The maximum speed in both cases is 120 km / h, which is optimal for fast movement not only within the city, but also on main roads and highways.

The battery capacity of the new BMW CE 04 is 60.6 Ah or 8.9 kWh, which provides a range of around 130 km (or 100 km in the reduced power version). This guarantees comfortable everyday operation without harmful emissions both in the city and during small weekend trips.

Liquid cooled electric motor.

The synchronous electric motor of the new BMW CE 04 is equipped with permanent magnets and is installed within the frame, between the battery and the rear wheel. Similar electric motors are used, for example, in the BMW 225xe Active Tourer hybrid model. BMW Motorrad has carried out extensive road tests and developed a specific type of recuperation for each driving mode, which makes driving the BMW CE 04 as comfortable as possible.

The recuperation system is fully adaptive and regenerates braking energy whenever possible. The technology allows, in some situations, to simulate the engine braking mode familiar from motorcycles with internal combustion engines.

One of the main challenges for engineers was the organization of optimal cooling of the high-voltage battery. On the one hand, it is important to avoid extremely low temperatures, since this leads to a huge increase in the internal resistance of the elements and reduces power. On the other hand, it is necessary to prevent overheating, which will adversely affect battery life. In the BMW CE 04, a special cooling system takes care of this. It removes heat from the battery through a cooling plate-heat exchanger with longitudinal ribs.

The configuration of the power plant assumes the presence of some comfort features - for example, the assistance system when reversing. It is activated on the left handlebar, and the operation of the function is shown on the TFT display. In this mode, the BMW CE 04 can reverse at walking speed, making maneuvering much easier.

High charging speed.

Unlike many other motorcycle manufacturers, BMW Motorrad can draw on the BMW Group's experience and expertise in electric vehicles. Interoperability options range from using common components on electric vehicles and BMW Motorrad electric models to applying experience in high voltage technology and safety requirements applied to charging equipment.

The lithium-ion battery can be recharged with the built-in 2.3kW charger from either a household outlet or a wall mount or public charging station. Charging the battery from 0 to 100% takes 4 hours and 20 minutes, and with the optional 6.9kW fast charger, this time can be reduced to 1 hour and 40 minutes. In the case when you need to replenish the battery from 20% to 80%, the charging time with a high-speed charger reaches only 45 minutes.

The Mode 3 charging cable is required for high-speed charging from a wall-mounted home unit or public charging station. As is the case with BMW vehicles, BMW Charging services are offered for the BMW CE 04. This gives maximum charging flexibility through a wide range of individual programs.

ASC stability control.

The stability control system available for the new BMW CE 04 is comparable to the ASC system found on BMW motorcycles with internal combustion engines. The stability control system limits the torque of the power plant depending on the presence and degree of rear wheel slip.

In addition, ASC prevents the rear wheel from locking up during heavy recuperation and when driving on low grip roads. The optional DTC system provides even more safety when accelerating, especially during bank rolls.

Standard and optional mode for maximum driving pleasure.

When developing the BMW CE 04, BMW Motorrad placed particular emphasis on the choice between maximum efficiency and unparalleled driving pleasure.

The standard equipment of the new BMW CE 04 includes three driving modes: ECO, Rain and Road.

In ECO mode, the maximum degree of recuperation is combined with traction limitation, which helps to save energy and increase the range of several kilometers. Rain mode means smoother operation of the power plant, which ensures safety in adverse road conditions. Road mode gives full access to the dynamic potential of the scooter.

In turn, the optional Dynamic mode makes the acceleration of the scooter even more dynamic. The highest possible acceleration is combined with intensive recuperation. This is how the BMW CE 04 unleashes all the charm of electric mobility.

Smooth control and comfort in motion.

The frame of the BMW CE 04 is a steel tubular structure. The front wheel is paired with a telescopic fork with a slider diameter of 35 mm. At the rear, there is a single-sided swing arm, and a fully enclosed suspension strut is responsible for shock absorption. The electric BMW CE 04 is fitted with 120/70 R15 67H tires at the front and 160/60 R15 56H at the rear.

With a wheelbase of 1675 mm, the scooter has suspension geometry very close to that of motorcycles. On the road, this translates into high agility and excellent stability at high speeds. At the same time, the weight of the BMW CE 04 is 231 kg, which is comparable to a similar scooter with an internal combustion engine.

Powerful braking system.

A front dual disc brake with two fixed four piston calipers combined with a single disc system and a single piston floating caliper at the rear provide reliable deceleration. BMW Motorrad ABS guarantees a high level of active safety. The optional ABS Pro goes even further, controlling braking in corners and offering the best possible safety.

TFT color display with built-in navigation as standard.

The standard equipment of the new BMW CE 04 includes a Full HD color TFT display with a resolution of 1920x720 pixels and a diagonal of 10.25 inches with integrated navigation. It features an intuitive interface and excellent readability, placing the new BMW scooter at the top of its segment. For the first time, the display allows navigation to be displayed directly on the instrument panel, so there is no need for an additional screen.

In addition, navigation is linked to the BMW Motorrad Connected App. The service offers the owner of the BMW CE 04 the most up-to-date navigation maps, and also allows you to plan routes yourself, import them from the Basecamp service or download them from websites.

The display is covered with tempered and extremely durable glass, which is especially important for everyday use. The screen has an anti-reflective coating and is resistant to dirt, scratches and fingerprints.

Telephony with deep smartphone integration.

In addition to the standard connectivity and navigation displayed in the instrument panel, the new BMW CE 04 offers telephony with smartphone integration. The mobile device can be safely placed in the ventilated compartment on the left, which is protected from moisture, and a USB connector is provided for charging the smartphone's battery. Inside the compartment, the smartphone is fixed with a holding device.

Powerful LED optics.

The new BMW CE 04 is equipped with state-of-the-art LED lighting, which includes high and low beam headlights, taillights and direction indicators, as well as indicator lamps. Even more safety at night is provided by the adaptive headlight Pro, which illuminates the corners.

Adaptive optics becomes active at a bank angle of over 10 degrees and at speeds over 10 km/h. Finally, special backlight functions are available as an option, such as a welcome message and end-of-trip indication.

Futuristic design and color schemes.

The new BMW CE 04 epitomizes an innovative form of urban two-wheel mobility with a cutting-edge design that emotionally emphasizes the presence of an electric propulsion system and at the same time expresses the scooter's belonging to the BMW Motorrad family.

A contemporary look is achieved in Light White, complemented by black matte effect sections on the front and sides, and a floating seat.

The stylish design of the rims imitates a monolithic design, and the side stand harmoniously fits into the appearance. The BMW CE 04 in the optional Avantgarde exterior design effectively embodies modern urban mobility with its combination of Magellan Gray metallic paintwork, black/orange seat, orange windscreen and bold graphics.

Specifications.

BMW CE 04.