BMW to enter e-scooter market with new X2 City

The X2 City is a scooter with fairly large wheels, which would soon be available as an electric vehicle. The German government plans to authorize this type of vehicle by 2019. The legal reform foresees that the e-scooters can ride on the street, and also in bicycle lanes. However, the reform in question has not yet come into force.

This new BMW scooter has a pedal, which increases the acceleration of the vehicle every time you step on it with your foot to set the scooter in motion or increase its speed. If the pedal is held down, the scooter will continue to run steadily at the last speed reached, until it either stops or you accelerate again with your foot.

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Underneath the surface, the X2 City has a lithium-ion battery that is resistant to rain and splashes. This battery has a power of 408 Wh, enough to cover a maximum distance of between 20 and 30 km. The battery is charged via a charging port in the body of the vehicle, but as an alternative, the user can also remove it for charging elsewhere. The total charging time would be about 2.5 hours.

Driving this type of vehicle is likely to require insurance, as is the case with electric bicycles, for example. The rules will also require owners of the scooter to display an insurance sticker that will be checked by the authorities. The standard will also require drivers to hold a special license for electric bicycles and related vehicles.

In Europe, electric scooters have already caused problems, including a fatal hit-and-run in Spain last year. What do you think about this new form of transport? Do you think that the law reform promoted by the Germans should be imitated in your region? Let us know.

Source: golem.de, BMW