Design Filings Suggest BMW CE 04 Electric Scooter is Close to Entering Production (Updated)

Dennis Chung
by Dennis Chung

BMW is inching closer to launching the new CE 04 electric scooter, as the company has filed designs for the production model with the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

UPDATE May 18, 2021: BMW confirms that the production model of the Definition CE 04 scooter will be revealed this summer.

We last saw the scooter in concept form as the Definition CE 04 last November. At the time, BMW called the Definition “near-series,” with Ralf Rodepeter, BMW Motorrad’s head of marketing and product management, saying the finished version could arrive in showrooms in a matter of months.

Those months have slowly ticked away, with the new design filings, submitted Feb. 25 with the EUIPO, showing us what the production version of the CE 04 may look like. As we can see from the image juxtaposition below, the registered design stays fairly close to the Definition concept, but with some telltale clues to indicate it is for the production model.

The obvious clues are the addition of mirrors and a new tire-hugging rear fender that also supports the rear lighting and license plate holder. The fairing has a seam where the BMW roundel emblem is positioned, whereas the Definition concept had no seam. This change is likely a concession made to simplify manufacturing processes. Other visible changes include a new panel by the passenger peg mount and the removal of the raised pad strapped to the Definition’s bench seat. The scooter in the design filings also lacks the Definition concept’s center stand, making do with just a sidestand.

The designs keep the concept’s layered bodywork and the large fender shrouding the front wheel’s hub. Also retained is the 10.25-inch TFT display that BMW debuted on the R1250RT.

BMW hasn’t revealed much about the electric powertrain, saying only that the CE 04 uses a flat battery mounted in the underbody for a low center of gravity. The bottom view below offers a good look at the battery pack as well as the electric motor.

The headlight looks similar to the concept, with LEDs cupped by two U-shaped daytime run lights. The handlebars on the design look similar to the concept, with BMW’s multi-controller dial visible on the left grip. Below the handlebars, the design shows three panels, including one with a a pair of accessory ports. This differs from the concept which has an asymmetric design.

The concept had a storage compartment hidden behind the side panels above the motor, and we expect this will remain on the production model. This space is made available thanks to the long body and flat battery design.

The design filing does not offer any clues as to when BMW will officially announce the production CE 04 scooter, though Rodepeter’s earlier statement about the scooter arriving in showrooms in “months” would suggest it’ll be sooner rather than later. We’ll have the latest information as it becomes available here on Motorcycle.com.

UPDATE: BMW confirms the production model will be revealed this summer.

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Dennis Chung
Dennis Chung

Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.

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  • BTRDAYZ BTRDAYZ on Apr 06, 2021

    I'm a tech guy, and I thought I was going to love this scooter, but more and more, I'm liking the classic lines of the Vespa line. Sometimes, the vents and plastics just for the sake of style, is overwhelming. And my butt hurts just looking at the seat they intend for us to sit on.

  • Denchung Denchung on May 18, 2021

    UPDATE: BMW confirms the production model of the Definition CE 04 scooter will be revealed this summer.

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