There are indications that BMW is developing a micromobility solution in the form of a folding electric scooter. The automotive and motorcycle giant seems interested in having a piece of the action in the fast-expanding e-scooter market. It will join other automakers like McLaren and Bugatti in the e-mobility scene.
BMW's Folding Electric Scooter
BMW has a growing collection of electric bikes and electric scooters but a recent patent filing points to a folding electric scooter on the offing. The patent filing details do not include the mane of the potential BMW e-scooter at this time. It was filed under the category of Electric Small-Sized Vehicle and the sketches indicate a folding frame for the e-scooter. It consists of a rear wheel, a frame, a footboard support, and a wheel folding mechanism. The rear wheel folding mechanism allows the scooter to be more compact, as per its form factor. The model also features fold-down handlebars. It is designed to be easily deployed into the urban public transportation system.
Unique Folding Mechanism
One of the major talking points of the BMW folding e-scooter filing is indeed its folding mechanism. The model does not fold the wheel over the footboard but instead has a slot where the rear wheel is placed. The architecture of the folding mechanism includes a first joint and a first pivot axis. The scooter can be adjusted from its unfolded position into a folded position via its joint.
Performance Specifications
As per performance, the BMW folding e-scooter will be powered by a front-wheel electric hub motor with output that could be between 500W and 1,400W. It is unclear whether the e-scooter will be a self-balancing one, but would require up to 60% of its power rating to achieve self-balancing. The BMW e-scooter could have a top speed not exceeding 20km/h for it to straddle public roads in Europe. The dimensions of the e-scooter are not known, as this detail was not specified in the patent. It is however expected that the vehicle should be compact enough to be carried on a small car or even on the bus or train.
Conclusion
There are no details as per the release date of the BMW folding e-scooter. It is also possible that the model may be focused mainly on the very vibrant European micromobility market.
