BMW Concept CE 02 Unveiled

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With spare construction and playful styling BMW’s new electric CE 02 concept is aimed squarely at the urban youth market. (BMW Motorrad/)

Exactly a year ago BMW filed an application for trademark rights to the names “CE 04” and “CE 02,” for a duo of electric scooters. Months later the CE 04 maxi-scooter was shown as a concept, rapidly followed by a near-identical production version—and now BMW has revealed the Concept CE 02.

As the name suggests, it’s a concept for a smaller sibling to the CE 04, with similarly youth-targeting styling but less overtly scooterish proportions. The Concept CE 02 could just as easily be seen as an electric rival to Honda’s Monkey or Grom, more like a scaled-down motorcycle than a scooter in its shape, and BMW is pitching it as a missing link, neither motorcycle nor scooter, with its focus firmly on urban youngsters.

Related: BMW Definition CE 04 Scooter

BMW has even released performance numbers; power is a claimed 15 bhp. (BMW Motorrad/)

Of course, it’s still just a concept at the moment. But given the trademark on the name and the rapid progression of the CE 04—which started life as the Concept Link in 2017, became the Definition CE 04 last year, and finally morphed into the production CE 04 in July—it seems a pretty safe bet that something very like the Concept CE 02 will go on sale eventually.

BMW even makes performance claims for the bike, which is unusual for a concept and further adds to the suggestion it will reach showrooms. Power is pegged at 15 bhp—an important figure, as under European law that’s the maximum allowed for learner riders and those with restricted A1 licenses—while the top speed is 56 mph, also tying in with a lot of European speed limits away from major routes. The bike’s range is said to be 56 miles, but you’re unlikely to want to spend more than an hour on the benchlike seat anyway. Weight is claimed to be “about 120 kilograms” (265 pounds), which is a little more than a Grom but still light enough to be wieldy.

Tube steel frame, long bench seat, and the merest hint of bodywork clearly mark this as an urban runabout. Skateboard is optional. (BMW Motorrad/)

Those numbers hint that there might be some real engineering prototypes out there, as photographs of the Concept CE 02′s construction reveal that the show bike carries a trio of off-the-shelf 12V, 15Ah lead-acid batteries. If that was really all it took to create a 120-kilogram bike with 60 mph potential and a usable range, we’d probably see a lot more of them on the streets and in showrooms. In production form, a rather more capable lithium battery pack is likely to be used, though BMW is not officially revealing the bike’s battery specs at the moment.

The styling is stripped back to the point that it’s barely there—there’s a tubular steel frame, that ironing board of a seat, and some big lumps of machined alloy for the motor and transmission case and the single-sided swingarm. BMW has gone to specific efforts to cut away anything that’s unnecessary. It’s refreshing to hear that there’s no smartphone-connected, multifunction TFT dashboard or accompanying apps, just a simple digital display that gives the info you need and nothing more.

The footpegs hang from a tubular front luggage rack under the electronics box, which could be used to carry anything that fits, but BMW has opted to strap a skateboard across it. A little on-the-nose, perhaps, but this bike is intended to appeal to teenagers. There’s more luggage space above the battery, under the front of the seat, and elastic straps to tie down anything that needs to be carried in front of the rider.

Solid wheels and high-rise bars are sure to appeal to the teenage demographic. (BMW Motorrad/)

Although something like the CE 02 has a good chance of reaching showrooms one day, some changes will be needed. Legal requirements like license plates, turn signals, reflectors, and fenders are missing, and adding them is sure to remove some of the stripped-down appeal of the initial concept. Other elements like the taillights, made of translucent LED “leaves” jutting out either side of the seat, are also a bit too “concept” to be likely to reach production, though the four-LED headlight unit seems realistic enough.

Related: BMW DC And CE Electric Bike Range Planned

No TFT dashboard or annoying app display, just a simple digital readout. (BMW Motorrad/)

Alexander Buckan, BMW Motorrad’s head of vehicle design, said: “The BMW Motorrad Concept CE 02 is a reliable companion on a day-to-day basis. You love it because it’s always there for you and it just works—even if you occasionally don’t treat it as carefully as you might. And there are stickers, tapes, and other forms of customization that make it quite clear to everyone that it belongs to you. It embodies youthful freedom and a carefree spirit—rather like a skateboard on two wheels.”

BMW says the CE 02 embodies a “carefree spirit,” which puts it up against petrol-powered competitors like Honda’s Monkey (or Ruckus, even). (BMW Motorrad/)

Edgar Heinrich, head of design at BMW Motorrad, added: “At first glance, there is little about the BMW Motorrad Concept CE 02 that is typically BMW Motorrad—it’s something completely new. We want to strive for something novel and be pioneers, which is what we’ve proven ourselves capable of with various projects in the past. The Concept CE 02 features new proportions and modern forms of single-track mobility in an urban environment. In addition, we wanted to achieve a level of design innovation that we have not had before at this level. Straightforward use was important, but above all the emotional component was crucial, as well as riding fun.”

Although some of the design is still in the concept stage, plenty of components look finished or nearly production-ready. (BMW Motorrad/)

If the firm can maintain that element of fun through to a production model, and get the pricing right, it’s not hard to imagine an electric scoot like the CE 02 achieving the sort of success that Honda’s Grom enjoys. However, since Honda also has the same idea in mind—as confirmed by patents filed earlier this year—BMW might not have the market to itself when the production model finally starts rolling out.

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