BMW CE 02 (2024) – Review

Technical Review: Ben Purvis
Riding Review: Adam ‘Chad’ Child

Price: £7,450 | Power: 15bhp (5hp: moped version) | Weight: 132kg (119kg: moped version) | Overall BikeSocial Rating: 4/5

BMW calls the CE 02 an ‘eParkourer’ and leans heavily on skateboarding imagery but look past the cringy marketing and there’s no denying that the decision to create a concept-bike-for-the-showroom is a more appealing approach than just another cookie-cutter electric scooter. When it comes to appealing to young, urban riders it’s an approach that might just pay off – provided there are enough customers out there who are prepared to stump up the steep £7,450 cost of entry.

From concept to reality, BMW has produced something unique. It is neither a scooter nor a motorcycle; in fact, BMW claims it’s like nothing else on the market, and it's hard to argue with that claim. The skateboard and BMX influences are obvious, but the CE 02 isn’t just a design exercise or a work of art, it features some clever and useful touches, including a reverse gear, riding modes, traction control and ABS. There's also Recuperative Stability Control (RSC), which acts like a slipper clutch, and a keyless ride. Yes, the standard modes really are called Flow and Surf, but ignore the marketing hype and it appears BMW has produced something individual and special. We spent a day darting around the fashionable streets of Lisbon in Portugal to find out if the learner-legal BMW CE 02 goes as well as it looks and if its high retail price is justifiable.

2024 BMW CE 02 Price

Starting at £7,450 and arriving in dealerships in April, the CE 02 is far from cheap but pricing in the electric motorcycle market is still all over the place – so while it’s expensive in comparison to some alternatives, it’s a bargain compared to others. Line it up against learner-legal offerings from the likes of Zero and the BMW is substantially less expensive. But something Chinese-made, like the Super Soco TC Max, can be had for half as much as the German machine and offers similar top speed and range despite less peak power.

The basic version will be in just one colour option – black with grey metallic covers for the mechanical bits – unless you spring for the ‘Highline’ package that adds gold forks and graphics that mimic the original concept bike from 2021 as well as a host of desirable options including a third power mode, heated grips, a smartphone holder and a quick charger that slashes the charging time from 5.2 hours to 3.5 hours.

And if you fancy the full power 15hp (125 equivalent) version, then that starts at £8450. Add the Highline package we had fitted to our test bike, and it becomes harder to swallow at £9330. Furthermore, we had the comfort seat fitted, which pushed the price to over £9500 for a 125cc-equivalent scooter – undeniably expensive, especially for the audience the bike is aimed at. BMW’s petrol driven C 400 X undercuts the CE 02 at £6560, while even their premium C 400 GT is £7340.

PCP prices are more appealing. With a 25% deposit, the base model is a reasonable £107 per month, and the high spec Highline £121. And when compared to public transport the CE 02 pricing makes more sense. An A zone 1-2 monthly travel pass in London is £156.30. That’s an inner city pass for £150 to travel on the crowded, congested underground, compared to £107 for the BMW, which is overground, fun and looks cool.

2024 BMW CE 02 Engine & Performance

The motor is an air-cooled, synchronous current design that puts out a peak 15hp (11kW) at 5,000rpm in the full-power version of the CE 02. That’s bang-on the limit for learner-legal bikes, but BMW doesn’t take advantage of the loophole that allows electric learner bikes to be more powerful than their petrol equivalents. Officially electric bikes are rated at their ‘continuous’ maximum power – a number that can be sustained for extended periods without overheating – rather than their outright maximum. The CE 02’s rated continuous power figure is 6kW/8hp.

As usual for electric bikes, the torque figure is much more impressive than the power, peaking at 55Nm (40.5 lb-ft) from 0rpm to 1000rpm. From there, torque decreases as power rises, until the motor runs out of steam at 6,700rpm.

The standard, 15hp version of the bike has two batteries, each 48-volts and rated at 1.96kWh, which can be removed for maintenance but aren’t intended to be swapped out to give an instant range boost.

Between them, the battery and motor combination offer a top speed of 59mph, with a 0-31mph acceleration of three seconds dead and a range of more than 90km (56 miles) under WMTC conditions.

Riders who want to use the CE 02 on a moped licence can opt for a restricted power version that peaks at 5hp, with a continuous rating of 4hp. It uses just one battery, reducing weight from 132kg to 119kg. In this form, the top speed is 45km/h (28mph) to match the legal limit for mopeds, and range drops to 45km (28 miles). On the plus side, the single battery means charging times are reduced, but you can’t combine the moped version of the CE 02 with the ‘Highline’ option package and quick charger.

The transmission is a two-stage belt drive. One belt takes drive from the motor to an intermediate shaft, concentric with the swingarm pivot, that transfers power from the right-hand side of the bike to the left-hand side. From there another toothed belt drives the rear sprocket.

As standard the CE 02 gets two riding modes, and BMW follows its slightly irritating form – established with the R 18 cruiser – of using cutesy names for them instead of ones that describe what they do. So there’s no ‘sport’ or ‘street’ mode, but instead you choose from ‘Flow’ or ‘Surf.’ ‘Flow’ is the standard urban setting, with soft throttle response and medium energy recuperation – which equates to engine braking. ‘Surf’ is a more dynamic setting with zero energy recuperation to allow maximum coasting, plus a more direct throttle response.

Frustratingly, you have to splash out on the ‘Highline’ option package to get a third mode, ‘Flash,’ which approximates a sports setting.

The Ride:

It takes a while to recalibrate into electric riding. With keyless ignition and little in the way of engine noise, the start-up procedure is unorthodox. With the keyless fob in your pocket, you press the unlock button on the right bar, then press the red starter button while holding either brake lever (both on the bars) – and the micro dash highlights ‘ready’. Twist the throttle and go. Or press down and hold the reverse button (on the left bar) and twist the throttle and move backwards, which also takes a little getting used to.

So, yes, a tad unusual at first, especially the instant acceleration and absence of a clutch and engine noise, but after a few metres it becomes natural – just like riding any other twist-and-go scooter, only this time it’s in near silence. BMW has clearly worked on throttle response and feel, as some electric bikes can be a little snappy or lively on the initial pick up, but the CE 02's response is smooth and easy (though that does depend on the mode selected).

Flow is like an eco-mode, with the softest throttle response and regeneration, which feels like engine braking. Surf is more belligerent and more responsive with no engine braking, which allows you to coast along in silence. The optional Flash mode is more like the Surf mode, possibly a little sportier, and has some regenerating engine braking.

Once you’re used to the standard Flow mode, you can start to rely on the regeneration to slow the bike down, much like a soft rear brake. Downhill, with the throttle closed, you can feel the regen' holding the bike, like a weak car handbrake. There is still enough zap to nip away from the lights and in some of the tighter congested roads of Lisbon – which are much like the 20mph -30mph areas of London – this is all you need.

I preferred Surf mode, which is like a two-stroke with the throttle closed, low on engine braking and able to pick up speed downhill with the throttle shut. You learn to close the throttle early and roll up to a stop – which increases the displayed range more than using the regen. Surf also has more kick to it; you can feel this, especially in faster 40-50mph zones. On one occasion I managed to hold the throttle to the stop with the dash showing an indicated 100kph (62mph), and the CE 02 felt good for a little more. The optional Flash mode is full power (15hp) like Surf, but with more regeneration. It’s easy to flick between the modes, but there is no clear illustration of which mode you’re in on the dash.

Comparing the BMW to conventional petrol 125cc is difficult as the BMW was ridden in isolation but, with instant torque and no clutch or gears to worry about, it would not only be king of the 30-metre drag race from the lights in this category, it would also give larger scooters a run for their money from a standstill. It’s amusing sitting at the lights, surrounded by conventional petrol-driven vehicles, knowing you're going to leave them in your wake as soon as the light turns green. Top fun in a David v Goliath sort of way.

Traction control – in the form of Automatic Stabilty Control and Recuperative Stability Control (on a closed throttle) – comes as standard which I’m sure will be laughed at by many, but with a large-ish dollop of instant torque on tap, it’s beneficial to have in the background. In the wet, over cobbles on the city streets of Paris or Milan, I’d want some TC. Even in the dry I could feel it working over potholes and in dusty gutters as we cut through traffic.

To add to the usefulness of the junior Beemer, it’s also fitted with a reverse drive, which is activated by a button on the left bar. With the button activated and the throttle applied, the CE 02 starts to crawl backwards. Weighing in at 132kg and with a low seat (750mm), it's easy to move around, but smaller lighter riders will welcome the assistance, especially when trying to pedal backwards on a slight incline.

2024 BMW CE 02 Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight & Brakes)

On the chassis side, the CE 02 uses a steel double-loop frame with upside-down forks at the front and a single-sided swingarm to the rear. It’s a tiny machine, less than two metres from end to end and with a compact, 1353mm wheelbase, so the forks are fairly slim, 37mm units.

At the rear, a monoshock is directly connected between the swingarm and frame – there’s no rising rate linkage – and it has the only element of adjustability in the form of a movable spring base to alter preload.

The rake is 24.5 degrees, promising sharp steering in combination with that short wheelbase, and the wheels are tiny 14-inchers, shod in 120/80 rubber at the front and a wide-looking 150/70 tyre at the back. There’s Automatic Stability Control (ASC) and Recuperative Stability Control (RSC) to make sure you don’t lose traction under acceleration or when you close the throttle.

There’s a single disc at each end – 239mm at the front, 220mm at the rear – combined with a two-pot front caliper and single piston version at the back. ABS is standard, but it only operates on the front brake.

Weight is 132kg for the standard, dual-battery version and 119kg for the restricted, moped-spec model with a single battery.

The Ride:

Much of the bike's weight is taken by the batteries and the motor. Each battery is 13kg, which means 26kg of battery on our 11kw test model. The batteries are stored under the skateboard style seat, while the motor is positioned low in the chassis to help give a natural balance to the bike's low-speed handling. You can feel the underslung weight of the CE 02, but it doesn't feel like a heavy machine, while, on the move, the low centre of gravity is immediately apparent, giving a pleasing pendulum sensation as you dart between cars.  

The riding position is more like a BMX, more a fun upright small-capacity toy than a scooter or motorbike. You have two options on the pegs, both of which are permanently down: feet slightly forward like footboards on a conventional scooter or use the pillion pegs which are set further back, more like rearsets on a sports bike. As there are no foot controls – both brake levers are on the bars – you can switch between pegs as you ride. I preferred the racier setback pegs, though a pillion would eliminate that option, obviously.

With small-diameter 14-inch wheels, a short wheelbase and a steep head-angle married to a low centre of gravity, the CE 02 is quick to steer. Very quick. It carves up traffic with the enthusiasm of a puppy chasing her favourite ball. Stability isn’t an issue, even at 100kph, but you need to be aware that the slightest input by the rider will affect the steering. The CE 02 will change direction at lightning speed should you want it to.

Ride quality, as one might hope from a premium £9500 scooter, is impressive. Lisbon has potholes you could get lost in and cobble streets like motocross tracks – and the CE 02 coped well with them all. The small-diameter, conventional 37mm forks take everything the metropolis can throw them and then some more. The single rear shock, which is directly mounted to the frame and comes with pre-load adjustment, copes well but with no linkage can feel a little firm when jumping over speed humps and hitting imperfections at speed.

On an electric scoot, you can hear everything. On some cheaper machines, this isn’t always advantageous as you can hear the bodywork flexing, the suspension complaining and, somewhere in the bowels of the machine, something clonking. The BMW, however, excludes quality. There are no bangs or rattles, even when hitting cobbles at speed, which places it above other electric bikes in this class.

BMW certainly hasn’t scrimped on rubber quality, either, as the CE 02's Michelin City Grip hoops performed well in the dry and should go well in the wet. Their balloon-style profile meant that no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get close to their edges (but they did manage a Hollywood screech when locked by the back brake). Non-cornering ABS is on the front only, meaning the rear is free to skid around. I’m sure BMW could have fitted ABS to the front and back, but they also wanted the CE 02 to be fun – which it is.

Zipping around Lisbon in near-silence was truly enjoyable. Safe, predictable handling allied to fast steering, a lack of bulk and enough oomph to keep you in the fight away from the lights, made a for a fun, dynamic urban ride.

2024 BMW CE 02 Comfort & Economy

When it comes to rider comfort, the tiny proportions of the CE 02 mean the seat is a low 750mm, so nobody is likely to have much trouble reaching the ground. Unusually, the bike is designed so when you’re riding alone you have the choice of putting your feet forwards on a front set of footpegs for a scooter-like riding position or moving them back to the rear footpegs to get a sportier stance. When there’s a passenger, those rear pegs are theirs, so you’re stuck with the front ones. Of course, with no gear shift to worry about and both brakes mounted on the bars, there are no foot controls to worry about.

When it comes to economy, the CE 02’s power consumption is rated at less than 6kWh per 100km, giving a range in excess of 90km (56 miles) for the dual-battery version and 45km (28 miles) for the single-battery model.

As standard you get a 0.9kW charger, plugging into a standard household socket. It takes 312 minutes for a full recharge, or 168 minutes to go from 20% to 80% charge on the dual battery model. The single-battery version is quicker to charge, of course, taking 182 minutes for a full charge and 85 minutes to go from 20% to 80%.

The Highline package – which BMW clearly hopes most riders will opt for – also includes a quick charger, still powered by a standard socket, which performs a full charge on the dual-battery bike in 210 minutes and takes it from 20% to 80% in 102 minutes. It’s not available for the single-battery version, though.

The Ride:

We had the optional comfort seat fitted, which might suggest that the ‘skateboard’ seat might not be that comfortable. But how far are you going and how long are you going to spend on the saddle when BMW quotes a range of just 90km (56 miles)? Of course, range depends on where you ride, your weight, and how you ride but you are unlikely to be sitting long enough to overly worry about numb bum.

There is a clear indicator on the dash which gives a mileage range and percentage of battery used. These figures change as you ride. For example, ride sensibly in the standard Flow mode and the range increases slightly. On test, riding aggressively around hilly Lisbon, I covered 52.3km (32.5 miles) and had 25km (15.5 miles) or 27% battery remaining. That suggests a range of 77km (48 miles). But I’m sure as you see the range depleting, you’d change your riding to extend the range, like driving with the fuel light on.

We didn’t get to test the charging system. There is a socket on the side of the bike that should make the CE 02 idiot-proof to re-charge, but it’s a shame you have to pay extra for the quick charger and, if you’re taking the charging cable to work, there’s no under-seat storage to carry it. You can easily remove the two batteries under the seat and charge separately, but this is not advised by BMW.

2024 BMW CE 02 Equipment

Atop the bars sits a colour TFT display showing speed, state of charge and all the other information you’re likely to need. A USB-C socket allows smartphone charging, while BMW’s Motorrad Connected app lets you keep track of the CE 02’s charge status while it’s on charge. On the base version, this is via Bluetooth so it only works when you’re nearby, but the Highline package adds BMW Motorrad Connected Services to give you information about the bike’s status from anywhere. The same package also adds a bar-mounted smartphone holder.

All the lighting is LED, including both high and low-beam headlights as well as the DRLs, indicators, brake and taillight.

The standard model is pretty spartan, but the Highline package adds heated grips and BMW is also offering a wide range of optional extras including a luggage carrier, 29-litre top case, side bags in a variety of colours and sizes ranging from 16 litres to 60 litres, plus two screens and a ‘comfort’ seat.

There is no denying that the build quality and level of finish are very high, way above any petrol or electric scooter in this segment. As we tested the Highline model, we got the opportunity to test the BMW Motorrad Connection Services APP which, combined with the bar mounted smartphone holder, had clear navigation around Lisbon. Once connected you can navigate your phone via the CE 02 switchgear on the left bar.

However as premium as the CE 02 is, it's hard to ignore the price: £8450 for the 11kW, 125cc-equivalent version and, with the Highline package, £880 more. Add some luggage and a comfort seat and you’re up at around £10k, a similar price to a new BMW F900GS (£9995).

2024 BMW CE 02 Rivals

The electric bike market is starting to grow but BMW is at the forefront of established brands getting in on the action. That means most of the alternatives are either from electric-only start-ups or from Chinese companies. The CE 02 also sits in a no-man's land between scooters and motorcycles – perhaps as and when CFMoto’s Papio Nova electric Grom-rival reaches the market it will be a closer rival to the BMW, but in the meantime the alternatives include:

Super Soco TC Max | Price: £3,699

Power/Torque: 6.7bhp/133lb-ft | Weight: 100kg

Honda EM1 e: | Price: TBA

Power/Torque: 2.3bhp/66lb-ft | Weight: 95kg

Maeving RM1 | Price: £5,995

Power/Torque: 5.9bhp/118lb-ft | Weight: 124kg

2024 BMW CE 02 Verdict

As a design exercise, BMW must be congratulated. As a fun, premium way to get around the city, again BMW scores highly. The CE 02 is a brilliant way to deal with the daily commute, and the best electric bike in this segment by far. In fact, I'd take the BMW over any petrol equivalent. Forget all the cringy marketing – it really is the best bike in this category.

But, and it’s a massive but, we cannot look too far past its price. I can forgive the lack of under-seat storage and the fact it’s hard to lock a chain to it – but £7450 for the 4kW moped-version and £8450 for the base 11kW model is very expensive, though not as expensive as the £9330 price tag for the top-spec Highline. For comparison, the petrol-engine Honda PCX 125 is £3649, and for the majority of potential new customers the price will be out of reach.

That said, some will see the price as insignificant and, for some, £107 or £121 per month on PCP to get around London while avoiding public transport will be  more than palatable – not much more than a monthly mobile phone bill. If you do opt for the electric BMW route, you have the best electric bike in this market but, like virtually every premium product, it is expensive.

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2024 BMW CE 02 - Technical Specification

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