When BMW released their original C1 scooter in 2000 nobody had seen
anything like it on the road. And not many C1s were seen on the road
after it was released either. In the three years that BMW produced the
scooter-with-a-roll-cage, only about 12000 were made. The riding public
didn’t quite know what to make of the C1 and BMW never sold as many as
it had hoped. Now BMW has brought the urban runabout back as the C1-E
concept vehicle with an electric drivetrain. Could it be the C1’s time
has come?
The C1 may have been ahead of its time when it first appeared, but
the times and fashion may now work in its favor. The C1-E looks right at
home on the street with other modern scooters such as the Piaggio MP3, Piaggio USB concept, and Peugeot Hymotion hybrid. The C1-E also crosses over into the ultramobile four-wheeler category with vehicles such as the Nissan Land Glider, VW L1, and Renault ZE.
Where BMW’s old internal-combustion models offered a 125 cc, 15 bhp
four stroke engine (later a 176cc capacity with 18 bhp), the C1-E
features an electric motor and components from the Vectrix scooter
company, powered by a lithium-ion battery. Although Vectrix filed for
bankruptcy earlier this year, new investors may resurrect the brand. No
matter the outcome, BMW hopes the C1-E will demonstrate the viability of
an electric powertrain in a safe, urban commuter vehicle.
Like the original C1, the BMW C1-E is designed with an emphasis on
rider protection with its front-to-back roll bar and energy-absorbing
impact material in the nose. Unlike the C1 however, the C1-E also
features a seat-belt for the rider. According to BMW, the scooter is the
only motorized single-track vehicle that is exempt from mandatory
helmet wearing in almost all European countries
The C1-E design also provides for rider comfort and convenience. The
roll cage has mounting points for both a windscreen and a roof to
provide wind and weather protection. In addition, there is luggage space
behind the rider.
BMW Motorrad developed the C1-E concept as part of the European
safety project eSUM, which stands for European Safer Urban Motorcycling.
eSUM is a cooperative project between major urban European motorcycling
centers and motorcycle manufacturers. The goal of the project is to
develop and demonstrate ways to take advantage of the benefits of
two-wheeled transportation in easing traffic flow in urban locations,
while also increasing the safety of motorcycles and scooters in the
city. Participating cities include Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and London;
and the manufacturers are BMW and Piaggio.
The C1-E will remain a concept for now. BMW says that series
production is currently not planned but that findings from the project
will find their way into other future developments in the field of
single-track vehicles.
Source: gizmag.com @ By Alan Brandon
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