THE REBEL SCOOTER THAT RIDES LIKE A BIKE

Redefining everyday electric riding

- Sohil Nikam

We've seen motorcycles evolve into performance monsters, and scooters morph into utility machines, but the BMW CE 02 doesn't want to be either.

It doesn't want to play by the traditional two-wheeler rulebook at all. Instead, it defines its own category, somewhere between a BMX, a scooter, and a futuristic street bike, all wrapped in a minimalist design straight out of an anime storyboard.

BUT HERE'S THE CRAZY PART: IT ACTUALLY WORKS.

I spent a full week riding the BMW CE 02 around the daily madness that is Mumbai, dodging rickshaws, filtering through traffic, overtaking slow taxis, and even surviving some classic pedestrian jump scares. What started as a curiosity soon became a full-blown appreciation for a machine that's equal parts style, function, and raw city agility.

A NEW KIND OF COOL

Let's start with the obvious - the design. If you're the kind who likes their vehicles to look like everything else on the road, the CE 02 is not for you. From its exposed frame to the fat balloon-like tires and stubby proportions, the CE 02 looks nothing like a traditional scooter. Or a motorcycle. Or anything, really. It's more of a visual statement than a form factor, and it caught attention everywhere I parked it. College students wanted selfies. Auto drivers asked about the range. Even traffic cops looked confused and curious at the same time. BMW calls it an "eParkourer", which sounds like marketing mumbo jumbo until you actually ride it.

THE LONG GAME WINS