BMW C Evolution testdrive

A week ago I had the pleasure to test the BMW C Evolution electric scooter. A real pleasure to drive and maybe even a suitable replacement for my daily commute. Here's a video of our group riding the C Evolution around Brussels.

You have to try it to believe it: this is by far the most stable, agile, versatile and snappy two wheel vehicle I have ever driven. The electric propulsion adds a whole new dimension to motorcycling. No shifting, instant power. Always. You might not realise it, but this changes the way you drive. Even cornering seems more stable, probably due to the direct link between your wrist and the power at the rear wheel. Or it could be the very low center of gravity. Whatever it is: this machine is a joy to drive.

Acceleration is in superbike territory. Top speed is limited to 120 km/h, although I managed to top 124 km/h and another test rider managed 126 km/h. The reason for the limit is twofold: it keeps energy consumption within reasonable limits and it means BMW succeeded in lobbying to get the C Evolution certified as a 15 horsepower vehicle. This means you can drive it without a motorcycle license in Belgium.

There's only two points that might spoil the party: range is quite limited and the cost can be prohibitive. For most commuters the range of 100km will be sufficient, but in my case the daily commute is about 60km with 50km of highway. This means I will be riding at top speed most of the time, which will quickly drain the battery. It should still make 60km, but the question is what will happen to the range when the battery has a few years under it's belt. BMW guarantees the battery for 5 years without a distance limit. But I guess this guarantee will not be for 100% of the capacity.

At €15.000 the C Evolution seems expensive for a scooter, but if you buy it to replace a decent motorcycle the difference might not be so much. I drive 10.000km/year. For 5 years this means about €2.500 in gas. I guess the difference in maintenance cost can also quickly amount to €500/year. This means that if the purchase of this scooter replaces a €10.000 motorcycle, you will be break even.

For me personally it is still a stretch. I liked driving the C Evolution and I can see myself riding a similar vehicle to work every day instead of my motorcycle. But for almost exclusive highway use I'm afraid it is still a little bit wishful thinking.