FUTURE STUFF ECO BEEMER BIKES

Chris Rowlands considers the wheely potential of a futuristic emissions-free e-bike

There’s a Mediterranean frivolity to flicking a moped through city traffic, with the put-put of the two-stroke as it wheezes up congested hills before conking out beside an espresso bar. BMW, though, doesn’t do Mediteranean frivolity. BMW does all-electric, zeroemissions Tron bikes built to tackle the urban sprawl.

Meet the Motorrad Concept Link: a moped prototype packed with tech that the German marque reckons will soon clean up city streets. Styled like Robocop’s pizza delivery scooter, the Link channels form and function in its pursuit of world-saving mobility.

There’s an aero benefit to the sculpted panels, including sealed wheel sides, intended to maximise the efficiency of the electric drive unit. And, in case the future doesn’t offer street-side storage lockers, a handy luggage space sits beneath the adjustable seat bench, perfect for hiding your helmet or slinging some shopping under your rear.

Plenty of tech lives under its angular shell too – the Link will sync to your calendar, for example, for rapid route selection, while BMW has stuck a touch-panel and head-up display on the handlebars to deliver navigation, speed and battery info.

Quite how many will make it onto the roads remains to be seen, but it’ll go a darn sight better with your leathers than that pink Vespa.

BMW’S MOPED CHANNELS FORM AND FUNCTION IN ITS PURSUIT OF WORLD SAVING MOBILITY