Long-term review of the BMW CE 04 (The Suit & Tie Rocket Ship)

[triangletom]

With 4,700 miles (7500km) and 9 months under my belt, it's time for my long-term review of the BMW CE 04.

Introduction​

In 2022, BMW released the CE 04: a futuristic-looking spaceship in a sea of boring two-wheeled EVs. It made quite a splash, with BMW selling nearly 5000 in the first year. While European sales were strong, I estimate that only about 250 were sold in the USA during 2022. I may, in fact be the only CE 04 owner in North Carolina.

One question I often get from onlookers is: is that thing a scooter, or is that a motorcycle? While the CE 04 shares parts with their motorcycle line (S1000XR, F850GS, etc.), it has a floorboard instead of foot pegs, so BMW calls it a scooter. With the transition to electric, there is no other difference between a scooter and a motorcycle. Scooters also generally have an area under the dash where you can place your legs or groceries, but the CE 04 does not.


While the CE 04 is the most fun I've had on two wheels, it is also the personification of compromise. It's heavy, but due to the exceptionally low center of gravity, it's far easier to handle than the equally heavy R1200GS. Rather than using new electric technologies like a hub motor, the CE 04 reuses well-tested components. Somehow, it is still the most efficient EV in its class (WMTC 3b). It's got more range than you need for the city, but less than you may want for touring.

Who should get this bike?​

If you are looking for a fast, fun, practical utility bike, have access to a power outlet at home, and live within 30 miles (50km) of another EV charger (see the Plugshare map): skip the rest of this review and go buy a CE 04 now.

If you ride primarily in urban or suburban areas, I can't think of a better bike than the CE 04.

Who should steer clear of it?​

If you want to participate in long group rides or want to venture out on day-long rides without micro-managing charging stops: check out Energica or Verge Motorcycles instead.

Specs​

• Top Speed: 78mph
• Approximate Range:
  • 75 miles @ 35mph / 120 km @ 60km/h
  • 65 miles @ 45mph / 105 km @ 70km/h
  • 60 miles @ 55mph / 95 km @ 90km/h
  • 40 miles @ 70mph / 65 km @ 115km/h
• Acceleration: 0-30mph (0-50km/h) in ~2s
• Maintenance: Every 2 years or 6200 miles (10000km)
• Battery: 8.9 kWh total (8.5 kWh usable)
• Effective charge time: ~1 hour @ 30A (240V) with the “Quick Charge” option

 

[triangletom]

What's Hot, What's Not?​

Keeping in mind that I am using the CE 04 as both a utility vehicle and a sport touring vehicle in North Carolina:

Hot:

• Brisk acceleration
• Agile & easy to ride
• Inexpensive to fuel ($1.15 where I live)
• Always waking up to a full tank
• Lack of engine noise and vibration makes it easier to tune into your surroundings
• Leg protection
• Reverse gear
• Heated seat & hand-grips
• 30L of under-seat storage

Not so hot:

• Range anxiety is real
• Seats are uncomfortable for multi-hour rides
• AC charging only; no support for DC fast chargers.
• Fragile rear indicator lights

That Acceleration Tho​

The CE 04 accelerates like a bat out of hell. If you crank the throttle all the way in “Road” or “Dynamic” mode, it will calmly and quietly reach 30km/h (18mph) before the first second is up. The lack of any perceived stress from the scooter when launching it from an intersection is uncanny. The traction control system limits the earliest stage of acceleration to avoid lofting the front wheel or throwing a passenger off the back.

The acceleration still pulls aggressively through 60 km (37mph), enough to leave anything short of a supercar in the dust when leaving an intersection. After 72 km (45mph), the acceleration is no longer shocking and feels like a regular modern vehicle.

Leaving everyone else behind at a green light is the most enjoyable part of owning the CE 04.

How does it ride?​

The BMW CE 04 rides really well, especially considering its weight. The center of gravity on this bike is easier lower than anything BMW has ever produced, which makes it a far more enjoyable experience to take this bike into town than the GS I used to have.

I've ridden the CE 04 in gravel, double-track, cities, highways, rain, flooded roads, and even briefly on ice. So far, the biggest handling surprise has been how competent this bike feels in gravel. The bike is also good on the highway or two-up, where it behaves much better than a F650GS and nearly as good as a R1200GS.

I can only find two faults with the bike handling:

• The suspension is good, but you may periodically hit the travel limit (110mm front, 92mm rear) on a rough road
• The steering of the CE 04 feels more easily influenced by high-speed crosswinds than other bikes

 

[triangletom]

The Electric Experience​

The best two things about having an electric vehicle are:

• Near-zero maintenance
• Never having to visit a gas station

The worst parts are:

• The fear of exceeding your range
• The fear of arriving at a broken charger

It was only on my first multi-day trip with the CE 04 that I finally mastered the art of dialing up efficiency as needed. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to stretch your range, the following recipe is good to squeeze an extra 10-15% out of the scoot:

• Travel at 5mph (8km/h) less than the speed limit
• Use “Eco” Mode
• Avoid the brakes

I was surprised to learn that power usage has a cubic relationship with velocity:

power = 0.5 * density_of_air * velocity^3 * drag coefficient * surface area

This is much more noticeable on a two-wheeled EV than any other type of vehicle because of the high drag coefficient (>1 versus 0.23 in a Tesla Model Y), low energy density, and because they are highly efficient at slow speeds, whereas internal combustion engines are not. Even a small difference in speed dramatically impacts the range of EVs, especially a two-wheeled one.

I've observed a 23% range difference between “Dynamic” and “Eco” modes on the same stretch of road an hour apart. While the Dynamic mode has ~20% stronger regenerative braking than Eco, I'm skeptical of its effectiveness on a two-wheeled EV due to the relatively low inertial weight. The primary efficiency difference between the Evo/Rain and Road/Dynamic modes is due to the dampening of the acceleration curve.

Regarding the fear of arriving at a broken charger: I've now charged at 66 different locations and have only once had to adjust my route due to an unavailable charger. The key to avoiding charger disappointment is to look stations up on PlugShare ahead of time: if the most recent review doesn't reflect a successful charge, don't count on having one yourself.

Like most battery-powered devices, it takes about the same time to charge 20-80% as it does from 80-100% due to increased resistance from the battery. My average charge time at public chargers is 30 minutes (20-60%), but if I need to change up to 100% to make it somewhere, I'll grab a coffee and let the bike sit for an hour.

It is worth noting that the BMW CE 04 is only compatible with AC (alternating current) chargers, like what you have at home. While this means you can charge it from any 110V or 220V power source, it means that it isn't compatible with the faster DC (direct current) chargers. Due to this incompatibility, even with an adapter, the CE 04 will not charge at Tesla Superchargers or ElectrifyAmerica chargers. In the United States, the lack of DC support means roughly 15% of chargers are incompatible with the CE 04.

On the plus side, the various apps for looking up chargers allow you to select AC or DC. 99% of the free chargers are AC. The CE 04 works wonderfully with Tesla Destination Chargers, but you'll need to pack a TeslaTap Mini adapter to use them.

As the BMW CE 04 is slow at refueling compared to traditional two-wheeled bikes, group rides longer than 50 miles can be awkward. It doesn't help that group rides tend to encourage riding faster than the speed limit, which impacts your range.

Getting Connected​

While the CE 04 does not require a cell phone to operate, you will need it if you want the giant 10.25” screen to show navigation instructions; you will need to install an Android or iOS application and connect your phone to your bike via Bluetooth. Good thing the scooter comes with a USB-C charging slot — the CE 04 even has a fan-cooled location for stowing your phone.

There is no support for Android Auto, CarPlay, or any other mechanism to display maps from your phone to the console. If you want Navigation, you have to use the BMW Motorrad Connected app, which isn't all that terrible.

The best features of the BMW-connected software are:

• You can set the preferred “Windiness” for your route
• Maps work offline
• It records a GPS route of every ride, along with the state-of-charge, ABS, and traction events.

The worst features are:

• It will not tell you how much range to expect at your destination
• It will not warn you if the destination exceeds your range
• It will not route you to a charging stop along the way
• It does not show chargers on the map
• Address lookups are sluggish and interrupted by Bluetooth connectivity changes
• If you have your phone setup as a hotspot, it will fail to display maps on your console

 

[triangletom]

Does it Tour?​

Hell, yes, it tours.

You can treat the BMW CE 04 as an exotic electric sport-touring machine, within reason. Due to the recharge times, the longest you can travel within 24 hours is about 400 mi/650km. My longest single-day ride has been 333 mi/530km, and my longest 3-day trip has been 650 mi/1050km.

Touring with the BMW CE 04 takes planning, but visiting small towns with tiny independent charging stations in pedestrian-friendly spaces has been surprisingly rewarding. Traveling at a slower speed to these little electrical oases has provided a more exciting travel experience than I ever had with the F650GS Dakar or R1150GS. By preferring slower travel speeds and making loads of coffee stops, touring on the CE 04 feels similar to a bicycle tour at 3X speed.

You can find chargers even in North Carolina's one-stoplight towns: Goldston to Star. The limited range of the CE 04 requires planning to locate them, but you can go a long way with ABRP (ABetterRoutePlanner) and PlugShare. ABRP does not know about the CE 04, but it's possible to simulate one by selecting the Zero SDS ZF 7.2 + PT and setting the reference consumption to 190 Wh/mi @ 65mph.

The weakest spot for touring on the BMW CE 04 is the seat. I am still looking for a seating position that is comfortable for more than 4 hours. For my pillion, it's uncomfortable after an hour. I may consider buying an Airhawk seat in the future.

Making the CE 04 mine​

I've made a handful of changes to the bike to make it more comfortable:

• Wunderlich handguards: Increased protection and decreased heat loss from the heated handgrips when it's cold.
• Shad SH48 top case: to carry helmet & gear for a passenger.
• Skene lights: significantly improve visibility for the drivers around me
• 2x2 Cycles Moto Bicycle Carrier: to carry a bicycle on the back (warning: beware of clearance problems with the standard front-wheel mount to your turn signal indicator)
• Wunderlich Winter Muffs: to keep my fingers warm even when it's below freezing
• Helix Handlebar Bag – Velcroed to the space under the dash, holds my camera, first aid kit, and TeslaTap Mini.
• Reinforced turn signal indicators: (a tie wrap)

I've been happy with all of these so far. There are many CE 04 accessories available to the EU market that may never show up in the USA, such as the Wunderlich Rain Skirt.

 

[triangletom]

Maintenance​

Unsurprisingly, the maintenance requirements of the BMW CE 04 are minimal. There is no engine oil that needs changing, and with the regenerative motor braking, the brake pads are, for the most part, relegated to emergency stops. I am not a mechanic, but this is the rough maintenance schedule I am going by:

• 750 miles: Initial “break-in” service (final drive fluid change, belt tension check)
• Every 4500 miles: replace the front tire
• Every 6200 miles: replace the rear tire, final drive fluid change, belt tension check
• Every 20000 miles: replace the belt
• Every 50000 miles: replace brake pads
• Every 10000 miles: replace brake rotors
• Every 2 years: replace brake fluid

As with their gas-burning bikes, BMW wants you to stop by a dealer every 6000 miles for maintenance. IMHO, that's excessive for an electric vehicle, especially given that the mechanics in the USA are not trained to work on the CE 04. If you ever find yourself wanting to turn off the giant “MAINTENANCE DUE” pop-up on the console, it's quickly done with an ODB2 dongle and the MotoScan phone app.

One unexpected quirk about the CE 04 is that it burns through front tires more quickly than the rear, opposite of most two-wheeled vehicles and 4-wheeled EVs.

Room for Improvement​

Roughly in priority order:

• A long-range version, like the BMW C-Evolution
• Support for DC charging (NACS) to broaden charger compatibility
• Automatic routing to chargers in navigation mode
• Touring-friendly seats
• Reinforced indicators

Conclusion​

It isn't for everyone, but for me, the BMW CE 04 is a nearly perfect vehicle. It's great for errands, such as pizza pickups and school drop-offs, and fun outings, such as lunch with friends and exploring the countryside.

I'd buy the CE 04 again in a heartbeat. If BMW released a version with 20mi/30km more range, I'd buy it too.

 

[2Wheelz]

With 4,700 miles (7500km) and 9 months under my belt, it's time for my long-term review of the BMW CE 04.

Introduction​

In 2022, BMW released the CE 04: a futuristic-looking spaceship in a sea of boring two-wheeled EVs.

In its first year, BMW sold nearly 5000 CE 04s worldwide: it made quite a splash in Europe. The response in the United States has been more muted: I'm guessing only about 250 CE 04s were sold in the United States during 2022.

I'm conflicted on how to cover this bike: while it is the most fun I've ever had on two wheels, it is also the personification of compromise. Is it a motorcycle? Is it a scooter? The bike is heavy on paper, but it's more clickable than the equally heavy R1200GS due to its exceptionally low center of gravity. Rather than revolutionary technologies, the CE 04 reuses well-tested components but is somehow still the most efficient EV in its class (WMTC 3b).

Who should get this bike?​

If you are looking for a fast, fun, practical utility bike, have access to a power outlet at home, and live within 30 miles (50km) of another EV charger (see the Plugshare map): skip the rest of this review and go buy a CE 04 now.

If you ride primarily in urban or suburban areas, I can't think of a better bike than the CE 04.

Who should steer clear of this bike?​

If you are looking for a bike to participate in group rides with or want to venture out on day-long rides without planning where to stop.

For these rides, I would suggest looking at buying an Energica.

Specs​

• Top Speed: 78mph
• Approximate Range:
  • 75 miles @ 35mph / 120 km @ 60km/h
  • 65 miles @ 45mph / 105 km @ 70km/h
  • 60 miles @ 55mph / 95 km @ 90km/h
  • 40 miles @ 70mph / 65 km @ 115km/h
• Acceleration: 0-30mph (0-50km/h) in ~2s
• Maintenance: Every 2 years or 6200 miles (10000km)
• Battery: 8.9 kWh total (8.5 kWh usable)
• Effective charge time: ~1 hour @ 30A (240V) with the “Quick Charge” option

Excellent review Tom❗️👏🏼

 

[Fullum]

Merci beaucoup Tom!
Thank's a lot!!

 

[Mitleider]

Thank you for your keen insights and for sharing. having followed you here for some time, I find you to be one of the most friendLu, skillful, and reliable resources in our community. You're appreciated

 

[Final.Drive]

Sticking with my ICE C650GT. The CE is just too many comprimises and way too fugly for my tastes. Electric may be the future but it is defintiely not the now in 2023.

 

[ghostrider4]

Wow, what a write up. Much appreciated for certain. A few thoughts from one that has less than 50 miles on ride.
Color - my 2022 Avantgrade is a sweet color though every time I see the white color I drool.

Seat - I almost sort of ‘feel’ putting my butt on the seat hump feels best in so far as it has me higher on the seat and ego to handle bars still feels good. Course such is not an option. Have not put on my airhawk seat yet. Wondering if room to put it on the front section such that it sort of stops right at the hump. In effect making a level are from front to end of seat hump thus allowing one to sit on the hump (probably won’t work but will see).

Eco/modes - saw a video, maybe from you else other on the site. The person indicated the regen is more of a negative than plus. Wonder if Rain mode is not best mode to ride the bike in since it has less regen I am guessing than other modes (don’t think there is a way to keep the bike in the sweet spot so no regen occurs. A swing and a miss on BMWs part I offer it would seem. No regen option might be best save for brake wear it would seem.

Charging - so it seems if one charges at 20-60% vs 20-80% it won’t make a difference in charge time. Other than not charging if higher than 80% displayed it seems it matters not when one recharges. Unless it is better to get down to 20% so you plug the bike in less often.
Then again, I have a free bank L2 charger so hoping if I plug it in at 80% it will recharge quickly to 100%.
I need to do a search, somewhere it tells time needed vs level of charge one gets.

Uncertain what text below is telling me.
Effective charge time: ~1 hour @ 30A (240V) with the “Quick Charge” option

Will need to get cost of (I infer) a L2 dryer converter from my dealer, which I infer plugs into my 110v plug cord that came with the bike. Else maybe it is a different cord, uncertain. This could come in handy if at a house and no Level 2 charger near by.

power = 0.5 * density_of_air * velocity^3 * drag coefficient * surface area
This is much more noticeable on a two-wheeled EV than any other type of vehicle because of the high drag coefficient (>1 versus 0.23 in a Tesla Model Y)
What is the drag coefficient of the CE04? Even then I won’t have a clue how to understand this formula (my fault no yours).

Connected app -
It will not route you to a charging stop along the way. It does not show chargers on the map. For certain BMW should add these two features. Though if it mirrors the other bikes with this TFT screen then no holding my breath until they release a v2 that won’t then work on our v1 TFT screens for some weird reason only bmw would know.

Service - bummer final drive fluid change at 750 miles. Honestly, if one has to ask the price of a toy don’t buy it or so the saying goes I guess. Still, I wonder if the $ which I saved by buying a left over 2022 model will vanish once I account for the need to do the 750 mile (aka guessing 2 year) required final drive fluid change sooner then if I purchased a new 2023 model. I am still wrapping my head around if my model got the level 2 charge ability while base models, else new base models might not offer that option.

Range - uncertain if the bike can even get to the miles per charge bmw advertises it at. Though 60 miles at 55 mph is hopeful considering this is a gen 1 (well 2) CE mode I am guessing.
Thank you again Sir

 

[Rootctrl]

Great write up. Have you considered putting your feet on the foot pegs for an alternate seating position? May be easier for taller riders.

 

[rongrimes]

"I estimate that only about 250 were sold in the USA during 2022"

That's probably due to poor inventory availability in 2022. When I bought mine here in Utah, we got a whopping TWO for the whole state. There was a wait list of 15. Of the two we got in, there was one avantgarde model and one white. Thankfully, I got first on the list and got to choose the avantgarde.

While I agree that this bike is the most fun I've ever had on two wheels, I have a constant nagging doubt about when I should unload it, given predictions that it will brick after 5 years due to a non-replaceable battery that isn't projected to last much longer than that. Thought it might not be as much fun, I seriously consider trading it off for another maxi scooter of the ICE variety, while I can still get a nice amount for the CE-04.

 

[2Wheelz]

"I estimate that only about 250 were sold in the USA during 2022"

That's probably due to poor inventory availability in 2022. When I bought mine here in Utah, we got a whopping TWO for the whole state. There was a wait list of 15. Of the two we got in, there was one avantgarde model and one white. Thankfully, I got first on the list and got to choose the avantgarde.

While I agree that this bike is the most fun I've ever had on two wheels, I have a constant nagging doubt about when I should unload it, given predictions that it will brick after 5 years due to a non-replaceable battery that isn't projected to last much longer than that. Thought it might not be as much fun, I seriously consider trading it off for another maxi scooter of the ICE variety, while I can still get a nice amount for the CE-04.

Think I got the only one in Minnesota that I purchased December 2022. I don’t know what the wait list was at the time, but mine was a demo and I did get a discount which was free winter heated storage for a small blemish on the right front plastic brake protector/aerodynamic faring.

And I agree with you as this is the most fun I’ve had on two wheels in my lifetime too.

Where do you get this nagging doubt of the bike ”bricking” at five years? Have BMWs earlier electric products ”bricked” after five years? Why is this battery non-replaceable because it seems to me that it’s in a perfect location to be removed/repaired and/or replaced with a new more energy dense battery design when the time comes?

I’m new to this electric vehicle thing and I’m skeptical about these type of rumors. Haven’t even tried a PC charger out in the wild to test out the 30 amp charging and still figuring out if I need any additional equipment for charging. For the time being, I’m happy with home charging, even if it takes 4 1/2 hours.

Please enlighten me and the rest of the group to your nagging doubt concerns and their basis, if you would.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fullum]

Hello everyones here is a picture grab from a video who is showing how they built the CE04, you can see that the frame is been brought down on top of the battery.
So I don't see why they would not be able to replace the battery eventually , again you probably need a really good mechanic at your dealer to do it and I presume the quantity of time need it to strip a lot of thing from the scooter first to arrive to the battery.

Here the link for the video if anyone is interested.
Yves

 

[rongrimes]

Where do you get this nagging doubt of the bike ”bricking” at five years? Have BMWs earlier electric products ”bricked” after five years? Why is this battery non-replaceable because it seems to me that it’s in a perfect location to be removed/repaired and/or replaced with a new more energy dense battery design when the time comes?

Please enlighten me and the rest of the group to your nagging doubt concerns and their basis, if you would.

I surmising this based on a couple articles I've read. One is from totalmotorcycle.com where they state:

The capacity of a lithium-ion battery drops throughout its period of use. In our battery certificate we specify the best possible service for our customers in this context. It is valid for the first 24,855 miles and ends five years after the initial delivery or first registration.

Also, in researching rechargeable lithium batteries, I found at au.renogy.com ...

Rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries have a finite lifespan and will slowly lose their ability to retain a charge

So, I don't think it's any accident that BMW ends the battery warranty at 5 years or just under 25,000 miles. This essentially means the bike is going to get to a point of unacceptable charge capacity retention, and even if the battery can be replaced, it will probably come in at a cost that makes you think it's just best to get a new bike. Plus, anyone buying an EV, surely must know about this, if they've done their homework, and as you get closer and closer to that 5 year/25K mile mark, your ability to get much out of your existing bike is going to be tough.

 

[triangletom]

IMHO, the battery lifespan concern has a basis in reality but is being amplified unnecessarily through FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt).

Similar Lithium Ion batteries in other electric vehicles have only shown a ~1% yearly degradation rate. It is always possible that BMW did a terrible job with battery management, but my guess is that checking in with the BMW C Evolution owners would be informative: they've been on the road for 9 years now. As with BMW's ICE motors, the battery won't suddenly become unusable when its warranty is up. Just as Tesla only warranties their batteries for 4 years/50,000 miles, plenty of 10-year-old Teslas are on the road with 200,000+ miles on the original battery. I have an 11-year-old Lithium-Ion electric-assist bicycle that is still entirely usable - though the range has degraded by ~15%.

Worst case, you replace the battery: there is a part for that (12 38 7 915 202). It's extremely heavy and integrated with the control unit, but it's a sled designed to go in and out quickly. By the time you need a new battery (15 years from now), a handful of salvage units will be available at a quarter of the new price.

Do I imagine myself with the CE-04 in a decade? Probably not - technology will have moved forward far enough by then that I'll likely be riding something else with twice the range. My kids are already eyeing it, so I may save it for them.

 

[rongrimes]

@triangletom I hope you're right. I admit much of my concern is because this is all so new and we don't really have much history to judge how reliable this will all be.

BTW, I looked up part number 12 38 7 915 202 and it seems to have a price tag of $7K, which is to my point. At that price point, who is going to replace a failed battery that is outside the 5 year warranty? I would just buy another bike.

 

[ghostrider4]

Enjoy it while you have it and/or trade it in when you feel you should. Not related to this post directly though maybe a bit. I just ordered this adapter, with coupon for around $53. Thinking it might come in handy when out and about if it indeed allows me to charge at a Tesla station, be it at a lower L2 charge rate. The order pageCharger has a Q&A section as well.

 

[2Wheelz]

IMHO, the battery lifespan concern has a basis in reality but is being amplified unnecessarily through FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt).

Similar Lithium Ion batteries in other electric vehicles have only shown a ~1% yearly degradation rate. It is always possible that BMW did a terrible job with battery management, but my guess is that checking in with the BMW C Evolution owners would be informative: they've been on the road for 9 years now. As with BMW's ICE motors, the battery won't suddenly become unusable when its warranty is up. Just as Tesla only warranties their batteries for 4 years/50,000 miles, plenty of 10-year-old Teslas are on the road with 200,000+ miles on the original battery. I have an 11-year-old Lithium-Ion electric-assist bicycle that is still entirely usable - though the range has degraded by ~15%.

Worst case, you replace the battery: there is a part for that (12 38 7 915 202). It's extremely heavy and integrated with the control unit, but it's a sled designed to go in and out quickly. By the time you need a new battery (15 years from now), a handful of salvage units will be available at a quarter of the new price.

Do I imagine myself with the CE-04 in a decade? Probably not - technology will have moved forward far enough by then that I'll likely be riding something else with twice the range. My kids are already eyeing it, so I may save it for them.

I agree with you here, Tom. I think this is definitely being amplified unnecessarily like you stated through “FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt)” again in this particular case through some semi-knowledgeable resources on battery technology and one that is particularly dependent upon mostly ICE motorcycle advertising revenue at this time that could be somewhat biased to a certain degree.

Also, human beings in general are very reluctant & fearful of change and this is a perfect example of that. We, being owners of this incredible new electric machine, are forerunner/pioneer consumers, of this new technology already.

I’m confident that I’m going to get more than five years on my CE 04s lithium battery. And by the time I do need a new battery for my BMW, I’m sure battery energy technology will have advanced somewhat at that point to make a great bike even better, if that’s the way I want to go with at the time.

Who knows, down the road these initial battery powered motorcycles may be highly desirable & collectible, like some older BMW ICE motorcycles?

Another case in point is that the part you mentioned is at today’s prices and as the technology advances, pricing will come down on battery tech on price vs. energy density. That seems to be the trend.

And as I understand lithium battery optimization, mostly charging your CE 04 between 20% and 80% capacity will increase your batteries useful life as will storing it at between 50% to 60% capacity over winter in brutally cold climates like mine.

 

[2Wheelz]

@triangletom I hope you're right. I admit much of my concern is because this is all so new and we don't really have much history to judge how reliable this will all be.

BTW, I looked up part number 12 38 7 915 202 and it seems to have a price tag of $7K, which is to my point. At that price point, who is going to replace a failed battery that is outside the 5 year warranty? I would just buy another bike.

“The good news for prospective EV buyers is threefold. First, in contrast with most consumer electronics makers, automakers have a vested interest in ensuring battery life. The average EV battery should outlast not just its warranty but also the rest of the car. Second, there is a lot you can do as an EV owner to protect the health of your battery. Third, the resilience of a well cared-for lithium battery gives you real options after your warranty runs out.

Although EVs are still relatively new and the battery repair and resale markets are still fledgling, you can bet that the surge in EVs and EV mandates will feed a significant servicing and recycling economy. That means falling battery prices, cost-effective repair alternatives, and your ability to recoup some resale value after your years of good battery hygiene.”

Above is an interesting quote from this Road and Track article published just yesterday:

How Long Do EV Batteries Last?​

With proper care and good habits, an EV's battery should hold up for a long long time.

How Long Do EV Batteries Last?

With proper care and good habits, an EV's battery should hold up for a long long time.

www.roadandtrack.com

This is an excellent comprehensive article about EV car batteries, but could be easily applied to our BMW electric scooter Lithium batteries.