Video: BMW i Vision AMBY, the first high-speed pedelec for urbanists

BMW Group is presenting a visionary two-wheeled solution for the urban mobility of tomorrow, the BMW i Vision AMBY.  From the outside, the BMW i Vision AMBY looks similar to an e-bike, but it offers significantly more possibilities.

AMBY is a neologism for “adaptive mobility”. The drive system enables speeds of up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) on cycle tracks, up to 45 km/h (28 mph) on city-centre roads and up to 60 km/h (37 mph) on multi-lane roads and outside urban areas. The modes available to the rider are stored in the app on the smartphone linked with the “AMBY” Vision Vehicle.

The design of the BMW i Vision AMBY is defined by visual lightness and powerful athleticism. The modern frame geometry feels like a mixture of racing bike and sporty e-bike. The upper frame tube, crafted from four sculptural aluminum profiles.  The space between the profiles also offers stowage room for a backpack or laptop bag. Located just before the handlebars is the smartphone integration pad, which holds the device safely in place using magnets.

The battery is positioned in the centre of the frame. Its 2,000 Wh enables a range of up to 300 km (186 miles), depending on the riding mode. Thanks to fast charging technology, it recharges in only three hours. The drive unit, which is positioned close to the pedals and is also black in color, only provides assistance when the pedals are being turned. Power transfer is by low-maintenance toothed belt, and the transmission is integrated into the drive system. 

A slim, horizontal LED light strip is integrated into the wide handlebars.  The vertical LED rear light is integrated into the seat post. Below it, an e-ink display shows the riding mode in use.  Parts of the handlebars and battery cover are manufactured from “floating grey polymers”, a recycled plastic also employed in the bumpers of the Vision Vehicle.  

Users can prime the BMW i Vision AMBY for use, load their stored licence classes and apply the required level of insurance cover on demand using a specially developed app. The app therefore takes on the role traditionally performed by a vehicle key. It uses familiar smartphone identification functionality (e.g. facial recognition) in the same way as the Digital Key, which was introduced by the BMW Group in an automotive industry that turns a compatible iPhone into a digital car key.  The smartphone shown on the Vision Vehicle charges inductively on the magnetic bracket low down in the rider’s field of view.

Performance data for the BMW i Vision AMBY