Produced by : Danny Cyril Dcruze
BMW recently launched its first electric scooter CE 04 in India. The scooter is priced at a whopping Rs 14.90 lakh. But it not the only scooter demanding such a hefty price. Piaggio recently launched the Vespa 946 Dragon Edition which is almost equally expensive. Let’s see which one is the better option
The Vespa 946 Dragon Edition is priced at ₹14.27 lakh (ex-showroom) and is limited to 1,888 units globally. It is available as Completely Built Units (CBU) with bookings open at Piaggio’s Motoplex showrooms across India. The BMW CE 04 costs ₹14.90 lakh (ex-showroom), with deliveries starting in September. It is also sold as a completely built unit.
The Vespa 946 Dragon Edition features light gold paint with green dragon graphics, celebrating the Lunar New Year of Hong Kong. It has a metal-monocoque body, single leading-link shock upfront, 12-inch wheels, and a 220mm front disc brake. On the other hand, the BMW CE 04 has a futuristic design with a long, stretched form, slim energy storage unit, compact drivetrain, LED lighting, 15-inch alloy wheels, a floating single-piece seat, and a 10.25-inch TFT colour split screen with Bluetooth connectivity.
The Vespa 946 Dragon Edition is powered by an air-cooled, 150cc, single-cylinder engine. The BMW CE 04 boasts a liquid-cooled, permanent-magnet synchronous motor with 42 horsepower and 62 Nm of peak torque, a top speed of 120 km/h, and acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h in 2.6 seconds. It includes standard ABS with double disc brakes upfront and a single disc at the rear, Automatic Stability Control (ASC), and three riding modes: Eco, Rain, and Road.
The BMW CE 04 comes with an 8.5 kWh battery pack, offering a range of up to 130 km on a single charge. It includes a complimentary 2.3 kW home charger, with a charging time to 80% in 3 hours and 30 minutes. An optional Wallbox charger is also available.
The Vespa 946 Dragon Edition comes with a varsity jacket inspired by the scooter’s design, featuring ribbed wool, Nappa leather sleeves, and a dragon motif. The BMW CE 04 offers optional packages: the Comfort Package, which includes heated grips and a backrest comfort seat, and the Dynamic Package, which includes riding modes pro, headlight pro, ABS pro, adaptive headlights, and daytime riding light.
The Vespa 946 Dragon Edition is ideal for collectors and enthusiasts of traditional aesthetics, emphasising cultural symbolism and exclusivity. In contrast, the BMW CE 04 appeals to tech-savvy riders seeking cutting-edge electric mobility, offering high performance and advanced technology.