BMW Concept E

In some earlier months’ posts we have discussed the projects that BMW was carrying out in the line of green, electric motorcycles.

Finally, at the Frankfurt show, they have unveiled the concept on which the German brand will base its future electric scooter.

With a very avant-garde design, it is not just for show, since everything has been designed to the engineers’ liking , thus creating a motorcycle that is as efficient as possible.

This prototype has little to do with the one they showed on earlier occasions, and the fact is they have been careful not to reveal the new lines until now.

The date chosen for its presentation is worth highlighting: it was at a car show, so we understand that BMW sees the electric scooter as the future for four-wheel owners in urban use.

In this case the motor has not been placed inside the chassis, where the transmission is housed. This one has been anchored directly to the chassis, which gives it better dynamic behavior.

The information panel is of the highest technology, with two sub-screens that work as mirrors and a central one that provides fully digital information on a color OLED screen, where the GPS is integrated.

The controls are also touch-sensitive, and we will see whether they are replaced in a future street version by conventional buttons.

Cooling is by liquid, as in all electric vehicles. This concept incorporates a heat-extraction fan, which looks quite good and is located just beneath the rider’s seat.

At the show, what BMW people insisted on most was the large energy-recovery system under braking, which increases range by between 10 and 20 percent.

On a single charge you can cover 100 km, which is great for urban use, and they promise 0–100 km/h acceleration on the order of a 600cc scooter. Three hours will be enough to charge it, and it can be charged from any standard socket.