ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
General Category => Electric Motorcycle News => Topic started by: Richard230 on May 01, 2014, 06:44:52 AM
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It looks like BMW has finally placed their C Evolution max-scooter into production. Here is the detailed scoop. Nothing about U.S availability or price, though. ???
http://www.webbikeworld.com/BMW-motorcycles/bmw-c-evolution-scooter/ (http://www.webbikeworld.com/BMW-motorcycles/bmw-c-evolution-scooter/)
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I just heard that the BMW scooter will not be sold in the U.S. But will be sold in Europe for $21,360 Euros. Not a price that would go over well here. However, I do like the back-up throttle control feature (like the Vectrix used to have), which would be handy on a 583 pound scooter. ::)
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Check out this series of videos showing the C Evolution scooter being built in the BMW factory. Not exactly the way Zeros are built in their factory. Plus, Zero doesn't provide the amenities seen in the last video, such as your own personal hottie.
http://insideevs.com/bmw-c-evolution-assembly-videos/ (http://insideevs.com/bmw-c-evolution-assembly-videos/)
The scooter's price is said to be set at 15,000 Euros, which would put it around $21,300 USD, before shipping, importing and whatever else is needed to sell in the U.S. No wonder it will not be coming here.
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The EU price of €15k includes VAT which is around 20% depending on the country. (Netherlands is 21%)
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American's would never buy a $21,000 scooter anyways, :o
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It would more likely be at $17.500 before tax. (IF it's ever offered in the US)
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It would more likely be at $17.500 before tax. (IF it's ever offered in the US)
My BMW dealer tells me that BMWNA has decided that the maxi-scooter market is too small in the U.S. (I gather that their two IC scooters are not selling all that well here) and that the cost of certifying the scooter for the U.S. market is too large. Plus, the cost of factory training at least one technician in every dealership to work on the C Evolution, is just too great an expense for such a small number of projected sales to make it worthwhile to import the scooter into the North American market. :(
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Maybe if it was less than $5,000 than americans would buy it, but everyone I know think scooters are for sissy's. Probably a bad sterotype, but scooters have a social stigma that is hard to over come. Just like driving around a motorcycle with crazy looking areodynamic fairings is hard to overcome.
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I guess we need to bring back the English "Mods". Can you imagine them riding around on a BMW C Evolution scooter? :o