BMW i Pedelec. Click to enlarge.

The motor-assisted bicycle features advanced componentry such as disc brakes at the front and rear; a three-speed gear hub integrated into the motor; a lightweight frame made (similar to the BMW i3 Concept) from aluminium and carbon fiber; and a torquey 42V electric motor—250W/20 N·m(15 lb-ft)—complete with electronic management system and high-performance 42V, 300 Wh lithium-manganese (LiMn) battery.

The BMW i Pedelec Concept can also be converted in a matter of seconds to offer a pushing mode, which allows it to be rolled and steered and therefore taken on public transport at no extra cost, saving the rider the effort of having to carry it around.

Because the electric hub motor only assists the rider’s pedaling up to 25 km/h (16 mph), the BMW i Pedelec Concept does not need to be insured or registered, no licence is required to use it, and the rider does not have to wear a helmet. Depending on the nature of the route, rider’s weight and degree of motor assistance utilized, a full battery charge will give a range of 25 – 40 kilometers (16 – 25 miles).

Under braking and when riding downhill, the hub motor acts as a generator and supplies the battery with energy. It takes just four hours—or 1.5 hours on a quick charge—for the empty battery to be fully recharged, either from a domestic plug socket or inside the trunk of the BMW i3 Concept.