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Photo: BMW
Know this: A “Bimmer” has four wheels, and a “Beemer” or “Beamer” has two. What we have here is an electric Beemer, BMW’s EV scooter called the C evolution. The scooter began as a concept in 2011, and BMW unveiled the production model in London last week.
The C evolution (lower case “e”) runs on 11 kW of continuous output, and 35 kW at peak output. Top speed is around 74 mph and acceleration is similar to 600cc scooters, which can typically hit 60 mph in under seven seconds. Redline for the electric motor is around 10,000 rpm, where it’ll hit 47 peak horsepower, and continuous output is around 10 horsepower, all without the delay of torque buildup.
The production model will feature a drivetrain swing arm with a liquid-cooled alternator set behind the lithium-ion batteries, which are set in the same storage modules as the BMW i3. Unlike the i3, the C’s batteries are air-cooled, with the body’s aerodynamics creating an air shaft that flows through the center of the batteries’ die-cast aluminum casing, along cooling ribs that facilitate heat dissipation.
The batteries’ eight kilowatt-hours give the scooter around 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, of range, slightly more if the regenerative coasting and braking are used to their potential. The regeneration activates when the throttle grip is closed, at which point the alternator creates drag torque, something like engine braking, which gets transformed into charge.
BMW says that the batteries will charge from empty to full capacity in under three hours using a household socket. If you’re on the road and happen upon an EV charging station with J1772 ports, an adapter sits behind the front footwell that will allow you to charge from there. The cool part is that you’ll probably be the only two-wheeler at the station EV station.
The charge also feeds a thin-film transistor (TFT) instrument cluster, which displays the battery charge state and energy balance – a “progress bar” that tells whether energy is currently being recuperated, or converted into forward propulsion.
For the non-EV exclusive features, the C has spring travel of 115 millimetres at front and rear. The brakes will come with ABS attached to the wheels’ twin disc brake system and 2-piston floating calipers. Metzeler Feelgreen tires wrap the 5-spoke light alloy die-cast wheels, which measure 3.5 x 15 inches in the front, and 4.5 x 15 inches in the rear.
BMW wants to market the scooter for personal use, and as an infrastructure of vehicle sharing firms. Look for production sometime soon, although don’t hold your breath for a U.S.-spec version for a while.

Via: Autopia