Market brings wider diversity of motors

The rapid growth of the e-cargo bike market has resulted in the development of more powerful motor and batteries. To comply with European e-bike regulations these still have to be limited to 250W. Parallel to this trend, e-bike brands are seeing a growing demand for lower weight motors to cater for the sportive market. To meet this increasing variety in demand, the e-bike motor and battery market sees a lot of new product introductions this year.

FSA launches next generation e-bike drive system

FSA has developed a compact and low weight e-bike system. The full system weighs just 3.98 kg which ensures sleek integration for e-road, e-gravel and commuter bikes. With a 20-cell, 250Wh integrated battery unit plus an additional 250Wh battery on the bottle cage position for longer rides, the system has a flexible range to suit many different types of riders. The system is completed with a LED HID push button that integrates into the top tube and an easily accessible charge port above the bottom bracket. According to FSA, the e-bike drive does not only provide extremely responsive yet consistent assistance, it is also quiet, outputting less than 55 decibels.

Together with the low total weight and compact integration of the system, the use of standard cranks allows the e-bike to fit like a standard bike and handle as close to an ordinary pedal-powered bike as possible. The compact design also can fit down to XS sized bike frames, all geometries and a low Q-factor. The FSA e-drive system is fully compatible with the Garmin e-bike remote controller developed to change the performance level of your bike. FSA has also developed a dedicated app for this system, available for both iOS and Android devices.

Hyena to introduce upgraded E-Road drive

The e-drive supplier Hyena will soon introduce the upgraded E-Road drive system unit with a ISIS torque sensor, and range extender compatibility, while a new HMI will follow later. The Taichung based company expects to supply the system initially to some of its long-term partners for their MY 2024/25 e-bikes. Founded in 2013, Hyena started e-bike system development from the core motor controlling and driving technology, then step by step extended its expertise to the complete system and software design. “Today we have already supplied some 350,000 units to bicycle brands and manufacturers around the world,” Shawn Lin told Bike Europe. “Our latest product launched in 2021 is the E-Road drive system kits, it’s a nice solution for e-gravel bikes, road bikes, or lightweight urban bikes. Our E-Road system features a super lightweight drive under 4 kg and has a tiny compact size. It could be completely concealed in the bike frame.”

All the Hyena drive system-powered e-bikes are supported by the company’s own software applications throughout their whole lifespan. From the moment Hyena's components are manufactured, integrated into the bike as a drive unit and the e-bikes hit the market, they are traceable.

Porsche starts developing e-bike drive systems

To speed up their e-bike business, Porsche and Pon Holdings’ investment vehicle Ponooc founded two joint ventures. “We see great potential for Porsche in e-bikes. This is why we are consistently expanding our activities in this area," says Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.

After the foundation of the new joint ventures, the recently acquired Fazua and its compact drive systems will stay in the market. Porsche will also develop and produce e-bike drive systems under the Porsche brand name. Both product categories will be distributed to e-bike manufacturers worldwide. According to a company spokesperson it will take probably till mid-decade before the first products will be launched and it is too early to make any statements about projected future sales.

The newly founded joint venture Porsche eBike Performance GmbH, based in Ottobrunn near Munich, will develop electric drive systems for two-wheelers. These include motors, batteries and the necessary software architecture for connectivity solutions. Stuttgart-based P2 eBike GmbH – powered by Porsche intends to use these drive systems to launch a new generation of Porsche eBikes from the middle of this decade.

Taiwanese Simplo provides convenience solution in e-bike batteries

Known as one of the leading battery suppliers for the IT with a strong presence in Taiwan, Simplo/Trend Energy Technology is advancing into the e-bike industry. At Eurobike last July, the company presented its latest options for customized battery service. Founded in 1992, the company now generates an annual operating revenue of more than € 3.5 bn. The battery manufacturer delivers more than 200 million battery packs per year.
When asked what makes the e-bike market so relevant for company like Simplo/Trend Energy Technology, Kevin Chang, manager high power & marketing department explains: “the IT market is rather flat compared to the e-mobility market and e-bikes in particular. This market is booming and we don’t want to rely on the IT market only.” Another important growth market for Simplo/Trend Energy Technology are the advanced energy solutions like the back-up battery units and automotive.

Since Simplo/Trend Energy Technology started on the e-bike market, they counted on some well known names in the industry, including Yamaha, Specialized, Decathlon and Flyer. The company is 100% focus on the development and production of batteries, both off the shelf as well as customized battery services.

Tritek to start mass production of new e-bike range extender

Tritek manufactures lithium-ion battery packs, a range of electric drive systems, electric bicycles and electric motorcycles. The company's new e-bike range extender will enter mass production this year. The small accessory fits in the drink holder and supports a 3-6A continuous output current to work as a charger to the existing battery pack. Using 10 Samsung 21,700 cells the range extender weighs 1.2kg and has a battery life of 500 cycles. It can work as a portable charger or battery and in both use cases supports dual battery connections. The casing of the range extender is certified IP67, offering complete protection against dust and airborne particles and protection against water.

The range extender is supported by CAN bus communication and works with all systems even those without communication. It has its own smart charger to communicate with the batteries and is able to switch current intuitively. As a solution for cargobikes, Tritek has developed the Hot Swap solution which supports up to 4 pieces in parallel which switch power continuously. Tritek will soon establish technical service centers in Spain, Germany and United States and has also stated preliminary plans to establish overseas manufacturing centres for e-bike batteries.

Yamaha to produce new PWseries S2 e-bike drive unit in France

Developed with the philosophy that ‘less is more’ Yamaha's new PWseries S2 drive unit is lighter and more powerful than the PWseries ST which launched in 2018. It is a multi-role drive unit suited to everything from commuting and general daily usage through to countryside trekking, weekend touring and mountain trail riding. Noticeably, the production of the new lightweight, more powerful motor will be moved from Japan to France to "reduce the need for expensive and unreliable logistic operations."

The PWseries S2’s new ISIS bottom bracket axle interface delivers increased rigidity, making this new mid-class drive unit ideally suited to the needs of e-MTB riders. Producing 75 Nm maximum torque, the compact drive unit is over 7% more powerful than the PWseries ST, and weight has been cut to 2.85 Kg – 16% less than the previous design. Yamaha claims that this ensures that the new PWseries S2 achieves one of the highest torque-to-weight ratios in the high-volume multi-role segment. The 20% more compact PWseries S2 layout also makes it possible for bike manufacturers to develop idealised frame designs with shorter chain-stays that can potentially increase overall rigidity to give enhanced manoeuvrability and increased rear wheel traction.