BMW C Evolution: Dynamic, Silent, Emission-free

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BMW C Evolution: Dynamic, Silent, Emission-free
BMW C Evolution: Dynamic, Silent, Emission-free

Video: BMW C Evolution: Dynamic, Silent, Emission-free

Video: BMW C Evolution: Dynamic, Silent, Emission-free
Video: Электрический скутер BMW C-Evolution / обзор и покатушка 2024, March
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Who says electric scooters are boring? With the C Evolution, BMW is now proving that the opposite is the case. The fun of driving through the city with zero emissions also has a proud price.

By Frank Mertens

Electromobility and motorcycling - can they go together? Can you get die-hard motorcyclists to switch to one with an electric motor instead of a two-wheeler with a combustion engine? And that at a time when electromobility is giving manufacturers depressing sales figures in terms of sales of e-cars?

Yes, they believe at BMW Motorrad, which is why they are launching the C Evolution electric scooter on the market in May. This confidence may also be due to the fact that the rated output of the C Evolution is only 15 hp and can therefore also be driven by drivers with an A1 driving license - and this opens up new target groups. The C Evolution is the first electric scooter from a premium manufacturer - and that has its price: The Munich-based company is calling for a proud 15,000 euros for their new e-scooter, which, alongside the C 600 Sport and the C 650 GT, represents the segment of Urban Mobility adds.

Emission-free through the city

Even at BMW, nobody really assumes that the C Evolution will noticeably boost sales in the motorcycle division of the Munich-based company right from the start, but people also believe in e-mobility for two-wheelers. Also because more and more cities are restricting access for vehicles with combustion engines due to air pollution and the threat of traffic collapse, as Nikolaus Bauer, head of the BMW Motorrad series, says. That is why this model also fits perfectly into the sustainability strategy of the car manufacturer, who has already brought the i3 onto the market - and now wants to set standards for electrically powered scooters. A high standard that could, however, work.

Because what the team around project manager Christian Ebner has put on the road can convince even die-hard motorcyclists of the advantages of an electrically powered two-wheeler - once you've been on the road with it. Because then those who cannot imagine that an electric scooter can offer as much driving fun as a motorcycle with a combustion engine - maybe even a little more.

Torque is applied immediately

After all, the torque is immediately available in electrically powered vehicles - and that is 72 Nm for the C Evolution. Not only does that sound promising, it also feels even better when the vehicle weighs 265 kilograms and is even better when accelerating silently - and also causes astonished looks at the traffic light from motorcyclists standing next to the acceleration. It takes just 2.7 seconds to get to 50 km / h, and 100 km / h is reached in 6.2 seconds. "Motorcycles up to 800 cc can easily be left standing at the traffic lights", states Ebner with satisfaction. A liquid-cooled e-motor with an air-cooled high-voltage battery ensures this full acceleration. The permanent synchronous motor provides the above mentioned nominal power of 15 HP and a peak power of almost 48 HP. Thanks to the battery modules built into the frame, the C Evolution has a low center of gravity, which ensures good road holding.

Well, skeptics might argue, but what about the range? Do I have to be afraid of lying down? Not really, especially not when I use this scooter where it is intended: in big cities. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 8 kW / h and thus enables a range of 100 kilometers. This is what BMW promises - and as the test drive in Barcelona showed, this promise works.

Four driving modes can be selected

With the BMW C Evolution, you can travel through the city emission-free
With the BMW C Evolution, you can travel through the city emission-free

With the right driving style, there are even a few more kilometers. It just depends on which driving mode the driver controls by pressing a button. Here he can choose between four driving modes (Dynamic, Road, Sail and Eco Pro), with which he can choose between particularly dynamic and particularly economical. This is a fine thing and means that when you glide silently through the city or on country roads, it is less a matter of speed and acceleration than of how you can get a little more range out through recuperation through a careful driving style. A whole new kind of sportiness is developing here with a view to extending the range.

At the same time, BMW has reduced the top speed to 120 km / h in order not to drain the battery too quickly (by the way, the same memory modules are used as in the i3 ). But if the battery is empty, the C Evolution can be fully recharged in four hours at a domestic socket. That is such a short period of time that drivers would be happy to have to plug their car into the socket for between six and eight hours.

Reverse gear takes getting used to

BMW C Evolution
BMW C Evolution

Thanks to good wind protection, you can be well protected on the C Evolution - and even tall drivers can sit comfortably on it thanks to the good ergonomics and wide seat. Comfort is the focus of this e-scooter, which also has a reverse gear. You have to get used to it, but after two or three attempts you get used to it.

The BMW C Evolution has everything to meet the expectations of its makers. And who knows, maybe the BMW plant in Berlin-Spandau will soon have to increase the previous capacity of currently manageable ten units per day - despite the confident price.

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