2022 · Scooter · Buyer's Guide
BMW's Electric City Pro
BMW built the CE 04 around one idea: an electric scooter that works like a real motorcycle from the chassis up. The liquid-cooled motor makes 42 hp and 46 lb-ft, sent to the rear wheel through a single gear, with the battery pack lying flat and low in the frame. That mass placement is the whole trick. At 509 lb wet the number looks heavy on paper, but the weight sits under your knees instead of above them. ABS, traction control and ride modes are standard, along with the TFT screen, smartphone connectivity, a USB port and LED lighting.
In daily use it behaves like a premium commuter with a serious hardware budget. No clutch, no shifts, nothing to stall in stop-and-go traffic, and a drivetrain that asks almost nothing of you week after week. Reliability holds up well, and the shape is one of the few in this class people still turn their heads at. The honest limit is scope: top speed is 75 mph and range runs to roughly 81 mi (130 km). Both numbers point the same direction. This is a city machine that will happily do a suburb run, not a long-haul vehicle.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 42 hp (31 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 46 lb-ft (62 Nm) |
| Engine | Electric |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 1-speed |
| Front tire | 120/70-15 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-15 |
| Seat height | 30.7 in (780 mm) |
| Wet weight | 509 lb (231 kg) |
| Top speed | 75 mph (121 km/h) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
Over the years a lot of CE 04 talk has come my way: paddock conversations, owners walking me around their scooters on club nights, and a steady stream of emails and messages from people who live with one. The picture from all of it is consistent. Riders like how it pulls, how it corners and how calm it feels in town. The complaints gather around charging, range and a firm ride.
The praise heard most often is about how it gets away from a stop. Owners describe instant torque and a scooter that feels quick and responsive off the line, which is what they want from a city commuter. Just as many bring up the handling. With the battery mounted low, riders say it feels planted and more nimble in corners than its weight suggests, and that gives them confidence. The quiet comes up again and again too. With no engine noise or vibration, owners say they hear more of what is around them and get to work more relaxed. Riders who have the heated grips (an option, not standard) and a heated seat rate them highly when it turns cold. Plenty still mention the floating seat and slab-sided bodywork unprompted.
The most common complaint is charging. The onboard charger only takes AC, so a full charge from a household outlet takes more than four hours. Even the optional fast charger needs about 1 hour 40 minutes, so owners say quick top-ups aren't really possible. Add a real-world range that owners put at 50 to 80 miles (80 to 130 km) and no DC fast charging, and planning your route becomes a habit. Riders with longer commutes say the range anxiety is real.
A smaller group finds the Showa suspension set up on the firm side and calls the ride jarring on broken city streets. Other complaints are scattered. Some owners call the price, well above comparable gas scooters, the main barrier to owning one. Others find the side storage compartment too small for daily use, and a few say the seat stops supporting them once a ride goes past a couple of hours.
Electrical system recall (NHTSA 22V672000)
Certain 2022 CE 04 models were recalled for an electrical component issue that could pose a safety risk. Exact nature of the defect not fully detailed in available sources.
Fragile rear indicator lights prone to damage
The rear indicator lights are mounted on the bodywork and have been reported as fragile, with owners noting they can break relatively easily in minor knocks or when maneuvering.
Where this BMW CE 04 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CE 04 is actually built for.
For the city week and a run up to the usual Skyline meet-up, it fits. A full day of ridge roads is a stretch: 75 mph and about 81 mi (130 km) means planning around charge stops.
Made for San Francisco Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard · Big Sur Coast Highway
This is the one you're actually looking for. Short hops, dense traffic, easy parking and controls you never have to think about, with running costs that stay low all year.
Made for New York City · Austin · Los Angeles
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2014–2021
BMW's Silent City Hauler
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
