BMW Motorrad seems to be getting serious about an electric motorcycle, judging by their latest patent application for a frameless motorbike.
The patent drawing, published by Electrek, shows the motor and battery making up the book of the frame, linked via upside down forks and a single 45-degree mono shock to the swingarm.
The Bavarian company already has and electric scooter, the C-Evolution.
But this drawing is a long way from that as well as their electric concepts of the past few years: the boxer-style Vision DC Roadster unveiled in June 2019, the Concept Link electric scooter and the electric S 1000 RR concept called the eRR.
Serious spark
But it does lend weight to the likelihood of BMW getting serious about an electric motorcycle sooner, rather than later.
Maybe they will unveil one at the Intermot motorcycle show in Cologne next year.
This is despite managing director Stephan Schaller telling Italian publisher Motociclismo in March 2018 that electric motorcycles are “not in their immediate future”.
Clearly they are now getting serious about electric motorcycles.
Just don’t expect it to be released in Australia soon.
Despite their electric scooter being available for several years, it is still not on sale here.
In 2017, BMW Group Australia boss Marc Werner said Australia needed tax incentives, import subsidies and/or charging infrastructure to catch up with the rest of the world on low-emissions vehicles.