Fast e-bike from BMW

Fast e-bike from BMW

The “i Vision Amby” Pedelec concept presented by BMW at the IAA Mobility is basically an e-bike, but has been given some innovative features. The electric drive supports pedaling and offers three speed levels - up to 25 km/h for use on cycle paths, up to 45 km/h on inner-city streets and up to 60 km/h top speed on country roads. Insurance plates and a corresponding driving license are required for higher speeds. The modes available to the driver are stored via an app on the smartphone. The driving level can be selected either manually or after automatic recognition of the position and road type using geofencing technology.

Legal framework

The “Amby” pedelecs are intended to provide an impetus for creating the legal framework for a vehicle with a modular speed concept. The BMW Group wants to continue to be part of the mobility offering in large cities, even if cars get less and less space there in the future. “Seemingly fixed categories are breaking down everywhere – and that’s a good thing,” says Werner Haumayr, Head of BMW Group Design Concept. "In the future, classifications such as 'car', 'bicycle' and 'motorcycle' should not determine what we think, develop and offer. Rather, this paradigm shift gives us the opportunity to tailor products to people's lifestyles." The Amby's energy storage unit with its 2,000 Wh enables a range of up to 300 kilometers, depending on the driving mode. Thanks to Fast Charging technology, it can be charged again in just three hours. Using a specially developed app, the user can activate the Pedelec for a ride, read in their stored driving license classes and use the appropriate, necessary insurance cover on demand. The app thus takes on the classic key function and uses the usual identification options in smartphones, analogous to the “Digital Key” function, with which the BMW Group is the first automobile manufacturer to make every compatible iPhone a digital car key.