Tag Archives: electric motorcycles

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Introducing the Vision DC Roadster

It feels like everyone and their brother is working toward the goal of creating a sustainable and affordable electric car, but thus far, they’ve all been limited to four-wheeled cars and trucks, until recently.

In 2019, BMW debuted its first electric motorcycle, the first of its kind. What set’s BMW’s Vision DC Roadster apart, and when can we expect to see more motorcycle companies following BMW’s lead?

The BMW Electric Bike

BMW’s first electric bike looks like the brand’s old school bikes with their boxer engines, but instead of a gasoline engine, there’s a vertically-installed battery where the engine would otherwise be. The battery pack is flanked by cooling ribs — a throwback to the boxer engine’s cooling fins that were developed way back in 1923.

The Vision DC Roadster looks amazing and we can’t wait to get our hands on one to take it for a road test. It looks like the perfect addition to the BMW lineup but you probably won’t be seeing it on the road for a while.

Image via BMW PressClub

Instead, Electric Scooters

If you can’t wait for a two-wheeled electric commuting tool that’s got the BMW brand name attached, you do still have some options. The brand currently offers the C Evolution, a fully electric scooter with a range of 99 miles per charge. If you don’t need to make long trips, this scooter can be a fantastic tool. 

It’s lightweight, with a diecast aluminum case that houses and protects the 12 li-ion battery cells that power the C Evolution. These are actually the same batteries used in the brand’s i3 electric car. It’s been an option for BMW fans overseas for quite a few years, but it didn’t make its way to the states until the 2018 model year.

Waiting Until 2025

Although BMW released its plans for Vision DC Roadster in 2019, we probably won’t see one at our local BMW dealership until 2025 at the earliest. BMW isn’t rushing to get this electric motorcycle out on the road.

This is partially because motorcyclists aren’t generally looking to switch to an electric model, as fuel costs for motorcycles aren’t really an issue. There’s also the problem of range. Even fully electric vehicles, with their large battery packs, have a limited range of less than 200 miles — and there’s no room for those massive batteries on a motorcycle. When you combine these two things, BMW knows that they have to improve their technology before they release the Vision or it will end up flopping.

Looking Forward

For BMW fans, the promise of an electric motorcycle in the near future might be an exciting one — or it might turn out to be a pointless waste of resources that no one really wants to buy. The brand is biding their time and being smart about this new foray into otherwise unknown territory. It will be interesting to see where this story goes between now and 2025.

Editorial

We Won’t See an Electric BMW Motorcycle for Some Time

If you were anxious to get your hands on a BMW electric motorcycle, you’re going to have to wait. 

Despite revealing the electric Vision DC Roadster in June of 2019, it appears the German company isn’t putting electric bikes at the top of their priority list. In an interview with Cycle World, CEO of BMW Motorrad Markus Schramm said it might be at least five years before they put a new electric motorcycle on the road.

Hitting the Brakes

The head of BMW referenced the Vision DC Roadster when mentioning that the company believes electric bikes will be an important undergoing in the future. Even so, Schramm continued to say it could be half a decade before they produce an electric motorcycle for use within cities.

Five years is quite a long time to wait, and that only refers to urban bikes. Schramm’s statement indicated that he was uncertain about the future of electric bikes for touring, sports and off-roading. These remarks are somewhat surprising, given that BMW has already unveiled electronic concepts. Furthermore, the manufacturer already has an electric scooter on the market, known as the C Evolution. 

The State of Electric Bikes Today

This pause in pursuing electric motorcycles is even more curious when you consider the competition. Harley-Davidson has already begun selling their first electric bike, the LiveWire. The LiveWire boasts a near-silent ride, instant throttle response, and an estimated range of 110 miles. For comparison, the BMW C Evolution scooter claims a range of up to 99 miles.

While BMW appears to be in no hurry to actually release an electric motorcycle, a couple of the electrical concepts they have come up with include: 

  • A wireless charging system: Recently, the company filed a patent for a wireless charging system using the kickstand. Whether this means that they are revamping their efforts in the realm of all-electric motorcycles is unclear, but unlikely given Schramm’s comments.
  • E-Power Roadster Concept: In December of 2019, the company revealed the E-Power Roadster Concept, an electric sports bike. This will likely not be the first electric bike released by BMW, as Schramm remained ambiguous about the viability of electric sport and off-road motorcycles. 

The Future of BMW Motorcycles

Further in the Motor World interview, Schramm reaffirmed that urban mobility is the main focus of their electric pursuits. The BMW CEO indicated optimism about the future of electric motorcycles, claiming he was confident that they would become increasingly important within cities.   

In the same statements, Schramm reemphasized the five-year waiting period before we’ll see a proper BMW electric bike. This might signal that the manufacturer is switching gears — moving from high-power sportbikes like the Vision DC Roadster and E-Power Roadster to focus on motorcycles for city use. Or it could signal that BMW does not consider electric bikes to be a priority.

It’s difficult to say with confidence what the company’s motivations are. Whatever the reasons may be, what we do know is that BMW electric motorcycles will still likely be a long way off.