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[flynnstig82r]

Yeah not requiring a license for a full sized maxi-scooter with slightly reduced power is bonkers. When I worked for Scoot I was already uncomfortable with newbies riding our Genze 2.0 mopeds without a license, and those only had 4 HP and weighed ~220 lbs. This has over 30 HP and weighs ~500 lbs.

[Demoni]

BMW is getting adventurous in their production designs. Front half has a similar design to the C-Evo, rear reminds me of a Honda Ruckus. Just like the C-Evo it will be a niche product for the US market. Could be popular in Europe but that price point might be a deal breaker...

Based on what information I can find you can ride a 125cc (11kW equivalent) scooter if you have a car drivers license. Looks like the CE04 has a power rating over this limit. Could not find any info related to if electric vehicles have different requirements. Seems crazy that the EU would allow people to zip around on those things without a license but also have very strict tiered licencing for motorcycles....?

Yeah not requiring a license for a full sized maxi-scooter with slightly reduced power is bonkers. When I worked for Scoot I was already uncomfortable with newbies riding our Genze 2.0 mopeds without a license, and those only had 4 HP and weighed ~220 lbs. This has over 30 HP and weighs ~500 lbs.

Haha no shit, you worked at Scoot too? I shadowed Scoot coaches a few times at orientation classes, that was anxiety inducing.

[gregj]

It's a BMW. The cost of servicing will be ridiculous and it will not be capable of being serviced by the owner because there will be some sort of lock out of access. I will NEVER own another BMW exactly for that reason. Nice bikes to ride, pain to own. Designed for the useless rider ( To put your side stand down see your dealer).

[TheRan]

It's an electric bike, what will need servicing other than brakes, tyres, and a belt change and how would they possibly lock that out?

[princec]

BMW will find a way.

Tongue-in-cheek aside... this is a problem that manufacturers have been noting is on the horizon at some time, the lack of complex servicing, rather like the issue of plummeting fuel duties and road fund license income. All the perks of current EV ownership will eventually have to give way to something that somebody else can make money from for all the unseen infrastructure that we rely on like the maintenance of roads, traffic lights, signage, etc. Dealers must be scratching their heads wondering quite how they're going to survive in the next 20 years after the great switcheroo. My guess is that EVs are not going to get a lot cheaper, despite claims to the contrary, precisely because dealers will go out of business without more significant income from sales. Pure mechanics shops are going to struggle if they only get to change tyres and brake pads.

Cas

[Richard230]

BMW will find a way.

Tongue-in-cheek aside... this is a problem that manufacturers have been noting is on the horizon at some time, the lack of complex servicing, rather like the issue of plummeting fuel duties and road fund license income. All the perks of current EV ownership will eventually have to give way to something that somebody else can make money from for all the unseen infrastructure that we rely on like the maintenance of roads, traffic lights, signage, etc. Dealers must be scratching their heads wondering quite how they're going to survive in the next 20 years after the great switcheroo. My guess is that EVs are not going to get a lot cheaper, despite claims to the contrary, precisely because dealers will go out of business without more significant income from sales. Pure mechanics shops are going to struggle if they only get to change tyres and brake pads.

Cas

I think you are absolutely right about that Cas. From what I have heard is that most dealerships make more money fixing and servicing vehicles than they do selling them. Once EVs become more reliable, much of that income, especially the servicing part (just ask owners of BMW or Mercedes vehicles) should go away, leaving a big hole in dealership's income.

And then there is the governments' income and how to finance highway and road infrastructure once gasoline sales decline. But we all know they will find a way. That is one thing the governments are good at - finding creative ways to squeeze money out of vehicle owners.  I wouldn't worry too much about that. 

[princec]

My prediction - EVs basically stay at the same price from now on, and from 2030, we'll be paying a lot more road tax on all vehicles (ramped up over a several-year span). Well, here in the UK anyway. Probably similar arrangements everywhere else.

Cas

[TheRan]

My prediction - EVs basically stay at the same price from now on, and from 2030, we'll be paying a lot more road tax on all vehicles (ramped up over a several-year span). Well, here in the UK anyway. Probably similar arrangements everywhere else.

Cas

I don't think that'll happen. "Road tax" is based on emissions (and value) and doesn't contribute to road and infrastructure maintenance, that comes from general tax which everyone pays and that won't change whether the vehicle is electric or not.

As for dealers losing money from less maintenance, that will partly be made up for by more expensive repairs and replacement parts. Something goes bad on a gas bike and it's less than £100 for a replacement part, a charger goes on an electric bike and it's the best part of a grand if not more.

[Richard230]

In the U.S. our road tax is tacked on to the price of gasoline per gallon. Both Federal and State gas taxes are included in the price of gasoline. I believe that the Federal tax is 18 cents a gallon, although state gasoline (road maintenance) taxes vary with each state. Some states, like California, also toss in a local sales tax on each gallon of gasoline on top of the gas tax, which is also supposed to go to support roadworks. But who really knows where it actually ends up. 

[Richard230]

It looks like board seats are becoming a styling "thing" with some electric motorcycle manufacturers.   
https://electricmotorcycles.news/newsflash-offset-motorcycles-revealed-its-product-vision-for-the-ofr-m1/

[princec]

I have a feeling that a lot of these design studios are not actually real riders.

Cas

[Richard230]

Here is a link to an extensive RevZilla riding review of the BMW CE04 electric scooter: