BMW Motorrad is no newcomer to electric vehicles. BMW intends to change our outlook on
electric two-wheelers which are more often than not perceived as boring. And
they plan on doing so with the Vision DC Roadster, an all-electric bike that
gives the word unconventional a whole new meaning.
The design team started off by taking its iconic
2-cylinder boxer engine and giving it a rather interesting twist. The idea was
to retain its protruding design but incorporate it in an electric motor. The
challenge was its packaging. You see, in an IC engine, the size of the motor is
determined by its capacity. However, an electric motor has different
requirements altogether in terms of installation and space. Here, the battery pack
takes up most of the space while the electric motor itself is relatively
compact.
This is where things get interesting. The engine bay
is replaced by a vertically fitted, longitudinally oriented battery which uses
protruding cooling ribs and integrated ventilators as its cooling system. These
elements are placed on either side of the bike in order to make the most use of
its air stream. It was inspired by the BMW R 32 developed by Max Friz in 1923.
Interestingly, when you start the bike, these cooling elements move slightly
outward, indicating that the bike is ready to go.
As for the electric motor, it’s been given a
familiar cylinder-shape design and sits underneath the battery. The electric
motor connects directly to the universal drive shaft, which is a step above the
conventional shaft drive BMW uses. That’s not all, the Vision DC Roadster uses
an aluminium milled frame and other carbon fibre and aluminium components to
shed weight. Moreover, the bikes innovative geometry is emphasised by red contrasting
elements and brushed aluminium inserts.
On the mechanical front, the electric bike uses a
Duolever fork and a linked monoshock at the rear. Its Metzeler tyres were
specially designed with five fluorescent elements about the size of a postage stamp.
These highly reflective elements are integrated into the sides of the tyres and
provide more security at night by increasing the visibility from the side.
In terms of design, the overall crouching stance of
the bike conveys a sense of agility. The fuel tank is replaced by a
neatly-shaped tubular structure that extends rearward to form a modern-day
seat. The low placed handlebars and rear set footpegs give the impression of a
sporty roadster. It also features a unique headlight and tail light.
For instance, it gets a U-shaped dynamic LED DRL
flanked by two compact LED lenses on each side provide the low and high beam.
On the other hand, the tail light comprises of two C-shaped LED elements which
are integrated into the aluminium rear carrier.
BMW Motorrad has also designed a functional
two-piece suit to go along with the bike. The protective clothing has been
designed to mimic the look of a casual jacket and black trousers, with
protectors sewn into it making it almost invisible to the naked eye. What makes
this suit even more interesting is the fact that it gets an asymmetrical
rucksack that can be fitted to the jacket with the use of magnets.