BMW patents an innovative-looking new folding electric scooter
BMW hasn’t been shy about playing around with new electric two-wheeler designs, though the number that have actually made it onto showroom floors is significantly lower. This time we’re getting a look at a potential new BMW electric scooter that may actually make it to production.
The scooter’s folding design is simple yet clever, creating a platform that looks both relatively easy to produce and highly effective as an urban mobility platform.
A far cry from the company’s CE 04 and CE 02 electric scooters and motorbikes, this light electric scooter is of the standing variety, making it more cost-effective and transportable.
Our first look comes to us from patent drawings that show off a large-wheeled design with an innovative rear wheel folding mechanism. In addition to a typical handlebar stem folding point, a second axle in front of the rear wheel allows the scooter to tuck that wheel away in the center of the body, creating a more compact, folded setup.
The floorboard appears to pivot up and out of the way to allow for the rear wheel to swing under and through the center of the frame.
RideApart pulled out some specs from the patent, revealing that the motor’s power will be at most 500W, or “not more than 1400 watts if at least 60 percent of the power is used for self-balancing.” The patent doesn’t really discuss much of any intended self-balancing feature, so it’s unclear if we can truly expect to see any self-balancing tech from BMW here.
There’s no word on an actual top speed, but the patent does include language that mentions a 20 km/h (12 mph) German regulation for scooters. That’s of course rather slow for the larger electric scooter industry, and so BMW would presumably have faster versions for the non-German market.
We also don’t have an exact weight, other than a note that the scooter would weigh “not more than 55 kg”, which is pretty much a given considering that few people would want to use a 120 lb scooter that barely goes faster than a jog.
This isn’t BMW’s first venture toward a standing electric scooter, but is a much more serious design compared to the company’s previous weak sauce attempt.
That original e-scooter from 2019 was more of a partnership with scooter company Micro than a true BMW-developed scooter. Now we’re getting a look at what the motorcycle maker can do when it actually contributes to the design and engineering efforts.
There’s no telling if this BMW folding electric scooter will ever see the light of the day. But considering that BMW has turned even more far-out designs for EVs into actual products on their sales list, we shouldn’t rule it out.
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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
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If you want to read that EnergySage report on the state of the home solar industry, including news about battery energy storage system and V2H/V2G prices and financing trends, you can check it out for yourself, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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A Waymo autonomous vehicle drives along Masonic Avenue on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
The $5 billion Empire Wind is back in business. The Trump administration’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted its stop-work order for Empire Wind, a major offshore wind project off the coast of New York led by Empire Offshore Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Equinor. Construction is now allowed to resume.
Equinor CEO Anders Opedal welcomed the news, saying the restart reinforces Equinor’s commitment to delivering clean energy while supporting local economies and saving thousands of jobs. He also credited a wide coalition of officials for helping get the project back on track, including Trump, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and congressional leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Dan Goldman. Opedal also thanked the Norwegian prime minister and the minister of finance for raising the issue with the US administration.
Governor Hochul said in a statement that “countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials” had taken place.
Neither the BOEM nor the Department of the Interior has issued a comment.
The Trump administration halted construction of the 54-turbine Empire Wind on April 16, but discussions between Equinor, regulators, and leaders at the federal, state, and city levels led to a reversal. That means Empire Wind can now push ahead with its goal of powering 500,000 New York homes with offshore wind energy.
“This project delivers on the energy ambitions shared by the US and New York by providing a vital new source of power to the region,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Wind US. She added that Empire Wind is boosting supply chain investments across the country, with activity in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and South Carolina.
Equinor plans to reassess the project’s financials in the second quarter. The goal is still to install turbines offshore in 2025 and hit full commercial operation by 2027. The company says it will work with suppliers and regulators to minimize any delays from the month-long pause.
Empire Wind was first awarded its offshore lease in 2017 after a competitive federal process. It received its final construction green light in early 2024 following an extensive environmental review. Construction kicked off shortly after, and the project is now over 30% complete.
The US is a major market for Equinor. The Norwegian energy giant says it has invested around $60 billion in US energy projects since the early 2000s, more recently in low-carbon solutions, critical minerals, and renewables. Empire Wind is one of its flagship projects in the US.
Read more: Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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