All the big motorcycle manufacturers are working on electric motorcycles and likes of Kawasaki and Yamaha have been vocal about it. BMW though has been keeping things under wraps. Not anymore.
BMW E-Power Roadster Concept is the result of the company's efforts. The brand¡¯s first ever all electric concept motorcycle was recently showcased at the BMW Vehicle Development Centre in Miramas, southern France. An experiential ride was also held with a prototype of the bike.
That now provides us with a hint of what BMW has been working on. A look at the motorcycles tells you that BMW Motorrad has taken cues from its existing models for the BMW E-Power. The front of the electric motorcycle borrows its looks from a BMW S 1000 RR, while the rear resembles BMW R 1200 RS with a custom frame in the middle joining the two ends.
The first ever motorcycle from the brand that is propelled by an electric motor is still in testing stages though. The production model will not be worked upon for the time being. That is, until BMW Motorrad figures out a way to pack a 200 to 300 km range on the motorcycle in a single charge.
As for the bike itself, the E-Power Roadster packs a 100 kW (~135 bhp) electric motor that has its top speed capped at around 160 kmph for now. Interestingly, the bike is capable of DC fast-charging, with BMW claiming a full charge time of around an hour. The bike weighs 296 kg and no more specifications are available as of now.
Some issues have been observed with the prototype of the motorcycle. A heating issue has apparently resulted in slowing down of the charging rate of the bike¡¯s battery. To address this, BMW is reportedly working on an enhanced cooling system for the E-Power Roadster.
Simultaneously, BMW Motorrad is also working on an electric motorcycle program. The program is meant to come up with a capable electric motorcycle for the brand¡¯s international markets. As the program gains steam, it won¡¯t be long before the company comes out with its first ever production-ready electric motorcycle to compete with the likes of Harley Davidson LiveWire and other such offerings in the EV world.