The two-wheeler EV space in India hasn’t seen any entrants that cost more than Rs 2 lakh, with the exception of the radical TVS X. A little over a month ago, BMW unveiled its unique-looking CE 02 electric two-wheeler, which is built entirely by TVS. And now, it has been spotted testing in India.
- CE 02 offered in two versions overseas
- Available with a host of accessories
Of the two units spotted on test here, one seems to have been customised with quite a few optional accessories from the Highline pack, available in BMW’s vast accessory catalogue.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that the left switch cube seems very similar to the one on the TVS Apache RR 310, and even the Ultraviolette F77 (TVS is an investor in the startup). However, aside from this one component, nearly everything else is different and not shared with any offering from either company.
When the BMW CE 02 was unveiled, the Bavarian manufacturer was very particular in stressing this wasn’t to be pigeonholed into the broad terms of either an electric scooter or bike. Overseas, it can be had in two distinct variants — the full-fat version with a 4kWh battery and a restricted version with a 2kWh battery.
The restricted version of the CE 02 weighs 119kg, has a claimed range of 45km and a top speed of 45kph (which still doesn’t classify it as a low-speed vehicle in India). The 4kWh version of the CE 02 makes 15hp and has a claimed range of 90km. It weighs in at 132kg (13kg more than the single-battery version) and has a claimed top speed of 95kph. Both of these can be topped up with either a 0.9kW standard charger or an optional 1.5kW fast-charger.
It remains to be seen whether the BMW CE 02 will officially launch in India, considering it would be priced significantly above other EVs with similar specifications. Overseas, the base CE 02 costs USD 7,599 (roughly Rs 6.28 lakh), while the Highline trim will set you back by USD 8,474 (roughly Rs 7 lakh). If that pricing is any indication of where the CE 02 will sit in the market, then it will be knocking on the door of quite a few premium, multi-cylinder bikes.
Ved Janve
Vishal Venugopal
