[Herald Interview] BMW Motorrad offers upbeat outlook for Korean sales

South Korea’s burgeoning two-wheeler market could see further growth with more policy support for motorcyclists here, the head of Region Asia, China, Pacific and Africa at BMW Motorrad urged.

“South Korean motorcycle market is witnessing continuous growth every year with an increasing number of motorheads,” said Markus Mueller-Zambre during a recent interview with The Korea Herald.

“Although there have been some movements to allow riding bikes on motorways, it is (one of eight countries that) practically prohibits to drive them on highways.”

“We respect the Korean government’s policy, however, wish deregulation on the matter for mature riders,” he wrote by email.

Mueller-Zambre stressed that the company will be at the forefront to promote motorcycle safety awareness. This year, it plans to expand educational programs on improved riding guidelines and training for Korean riders.

Most of Motorrad’s two-wheeler segments -- from adventure, sports to roadster lineups -- have been garnering traction here, a rare phenomenon among global markets.

Korean sales surged on-year by 20 percent to 3,550 units last year. In 2020 alone, its sales skyrocketed 50 percent despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asked what edge it has over its rivals, such as Harley-Davidson and Honda, BMW Motorrad said it has been able to tap into bike enthusiasts in Korea, and offers a variety of experience programs.

Riding on the clean mobility boom, BMW Motorrad plans to adopt electrification technology in every model starting from 2025. All upcoming two-wheeler models for short-distance commutes and inner-city riding will be fully electric, according to Mueller-Zambre.

“Our company was the world’s first to have showcased the first e-scooter C Evolution in 2014,” he said.

“BMW CE 04 scooter, (its second electric-powered model,) is expected to lead our electrification journey based on BMW Group’s battery high-quality battery cell technology. This gives us an upper hand compared to other brands.”

CE 04 adopts BMW’s first all-electric sport utility vehicle iX and electric-powered coupe i4’s fifth generation battery cell. It can drive 130 kilometers on a single charge and reach 50 kilometers per hour from zero in 2.6 seconds. Its battery can be charged 80 percent within 65 minutes using a fast charger.

Targeting the fast-growing market for electric motorcycles, which can drive a 100-kilometer range, Motorrad’s concept version of CE 02 will make its world premiere this year.

But when asked if Motorrad would follow BMW Group’s net-zero target of having EV sales take up 50 percent of total sales by 2030, Mueller-Zambre said it would take some time.

“Since our customers enjoy driving remote areas in the world, it will take some time to electrify most of our models through more improved charging infrastructure and driving range,” Mueller-Zambre said.

Rather than opting for a bold electrification strategy, he underscored that e-fuel, synthetic fuel created from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, could be an alternative for carbon-neutral engines to be installed in most of its models.

The EU last month announced a deal to allow combustion engine vehicles that run on e-fuels to be sold after 2035 as the bloc moves to phase out conventional cars.