Timed verdict
BMW wanted to strike a blow. The line of his new electric scooter stands out in the landscape. The Bavarian firm also takes risks. With its elongated basset look, the CE 04 takes the opposite view from ordinary scooters, usually picked up to be more agile, and curved to be more practical. In town as well as on the road, the Bavarian electric bomb comes out of it with flying colors.
The concept
But what went through the heads of the designers of the CE 04? In 2014, BMW marketed its first electric scooter, the C Evo, without taking too many aesthetic risks. The machine was popular, since some 800 copies were sold in France, the first European market for the C Evo. At BMW, however, we have swept everything away. No doubt to mark the spirits, the engineers have designed a sort of paradox on two wheels, a scooter almost as long as a Honda Goldwing, one of the biggest swallowers of kilometers in the world. Let us judge: 1 m 675 of wheelbase for the scooter, 1 m 692 for the Japanese road, that is to say 17 cm more only… The result is however astonishing. Very stable and reassuring on the road, as we can imagine, the CE 04 also manages to weave through urban traffic without struggling too much, despite the 55 kilos of the battery. Other quirks for a scooter (probably reduced due to the bulky battery): the storage space under the saddle contains, at best, only an integral (not too big); the option of a nicely made top case is then a must. As for the saddles (several models exist), they are hardly thicker than an ironing board but provide sufficient comfort. It is true that we drive an average of 12 kilometers per day on a scooter, which puts into perspective the importance of having soft comfort. These curiosities however do nothing to the general impression: the CE 04 is successful. And then, making an impression always requires making radical choices…
life on board
Not much to say: it’s BMW, so quality. If some plastic elements are below the usual standards of the Bavarian manufacturer, if we can regret the mini windscreen which, obviously, does not protect much, the whole exudes high level. The TFT screen is, as always with BMW, a nice readable and large object (10.25 inches), the controls respond in a fraction of a second, and the ergonomics are well thought out. In particular, you can place your smartphone in a storage provided for this purpose to recharge it and make it communicate, without a wired connection, with the TFT screen. There are three riding modes: Eco (limited acceleration and maximum engine braking), Rain (reduced engine braking), Road (maximum acceleration and standard engine braking) and, as an option, Dynamic (maximum acceleration and engine braking). Depending on the licence, two engines are available: the standard (nominal power of 15 kW and maximum power of 31 kW), thanks to which you reach 50 km/h in 2.6 seconds; and the A1 version (11 kW and 23 kW maximum). The power is stunning: a CE 04 rivals most large cars over 100 meters from a standing start… But you have to be careful to moderate its pace: the range is at best 120 km, if you remain reasonable. The charging time, meanwhile, is 4:20 for a 100% full battery, 3:30 for 80%. With a higher intensity (30 A) allowed by the Quick Charge option, this time falls to 1 h 40 and 1 h 05. Time to drink a beer on the terrace…
The opinion of the Motorcycle Point
This is undoubtedly unfortunate, but BMW risks suffering from the lack of investment by the French authorities in terms of electrical terminals. With a hundred kilometers of autonomy, the CE 04 can hardly venture very far from urban areas, where the density of charging stations is sufficient. However, this limit did not prevent the first French customers from breaking their big piggy bank (12,150 euros without options) to order the CE 04 en masse, on the sole basis of tests in the press. A way to get noticed?
BMW CE 04
Maximum power: 31 kW (42 hp) or 23 kW (31 hp in A1 version)
Torque: 62Nm
Maximum speed: 120 km/h
Autonomy: 130 km or 100
Weight: 231 kg
Price: from 12,150 euros (Light White model, white color) and 12,375 euros (Style AvantGarde model, gray color)
WE love
General quality
Line
Ease of handling
We love less
Storage
The price
Autonomy
