Electric two-wheelers’ elevated road concept

Electric bike, scooter and motorcycle riders would have their own elevated pathways in big cities under a BMW Vision E³ Way project.

The high roads could have coverings, a cooling system driven by purified rainwater which even cleans the roads, and be managed through artificial intelligence (AI) and automated video surveillance systems to prevent crashes and improve safety.

Users would be limited to about 25km/h.

It’s designed to address challenges like traffic congestion and air pollution while providing a simple and effective transport solution.

The three E’s stand for “elevated”, “electric” and “efficient” – the concept’s defining properties.

The use of roadways elevated above existing roads means the project generates additional traffic capacity.

It’s conceived for emission-free single-track mobility concepts only, such as e-bikes, the BMW Motorrad Concept Link and the recently presented BMW Motorrad X2 City.

The elevated road is simple and modular in design, economical to build and provides a fast, direct link between key traffic hubs, making it the perfect alternative for commuters travelling up to 15km, BMW says.

The project allows for a rental system whereby electric two-wheelers could be picked up and dropped off at various locations.

“The BMW Vision E³ Way opens up a whole new dimension of mobility in overcrowded conurbations – efficient, convenient and safe. It works by simply creating space for two-wheel zero-emissions traffic,” BMW Group Technology Office China director Dr Markus Seidel says.

“In China, more than a billion people will be living in cities by 2050. The country will become the global incubator for numerous mobility innovations such as the BMW Vision E 3 Way,” he says.

Ramps and sluice systems are used to connect the BMW Vision E³ Way to the regular road network, underground stations, other traffic hubs, and even shopping malls.

An elaborate system of lanes separates filtering traffic from flowing traffic, the two merging once travel speed has been reached.

The Vision E³ Way is proposed in collaboration with the Tongji University School of Automotive Studies, College of Design and Innovation in Shanghai.