Bosch's 2020 Updates. The Big Announcement!
This year, we celebrate ten years of Bosch eBike Systems. Having witnessed the company grow from start-up to cementing itself firmly as one of, if not the, industry gold standard for eBike drive systems, now powering more than 70 premium eBike brands.
Over the years we’ve seen huge developments from Bosch in all areas – motor drives, batteries and displays, with notable improvements across the board. As Bosch strives to make motors lighter and more compact, batteries with higher capacities and more recently with the Kiox and the acquisition of COBI we are seeing giant leaps in integrated technology.
So what’s new for 2020?
New Performance Line CX
More compact. Lighter. More Powerful. At least those are the headlines. The new CX motor, with magnesium housing will be approximately 50% smaller than its predecessor, 25% less weight and will offer up to 340% assistance – up from 300% with the current Performance CX. This without a doubt will translate to a better riding experience, with manufacturers able to better integrate the motor into their frames, with better geometries, shorter chainstays and better ground clearance.
But probably the biggest game-changer is the incorporation of a cunning freewheel which ‘decouples’ allowing the transmission to operate independently of the motor, meaning no more drag when the motor stops assisting! According to the team at E-Mountainbike Mag, the resistance after 15.5mph is ‘almost imperceptible’! Originally introduced on the Active Line Plus, which we covered in our blog post here, the theory most certainly holds up in practice!
But wait, there’s more! The addition of a 12 volt connector will allow third-party manufacturers to supply their components with battery power, so we’ll be seeing more lighting come to market and probably the long-awaited ability to charge your smartphone whilst on a long ride to get enough juice to film that next epic trail.
PowerTube 625Wh and compact PowerTube 400Wh
With the PowerTube 500Wh introduced to the market two years ago, for 2020 the team at Bosch have added two new PowerTubes to the range – the PowerTube 625 for maximum range and a new, more compact PowerTube 400 offering sleeker integration into frames of urban eBikes. The 625Wh battery is a 25% increase on the 500, allowing you to go further and have way more fun – especially with DualBattery which will now offer a whopping 1250Wh!
New Cargo Line
Possibly one of the most exciting areas recently has been eCargo bikes, with a massive surge in interest seen in the UK and especially in London with the new DfT eCargo Grant – and new controls like the Ultra-low Emission Zone coming to our cities. Why not read our case study about the benefits of eCargo bikes HERE.
Seeing this rise in popularity, ever the leaders Bosch have developed a completely new product line for the 2020 model year- the Cargo Line – with powerful motors making transporting equipment, delivering goods, carrying shopping or doing the school run effortless, super simple and hugely environmentally friendly. With 75Nm of torque and a monstrous 400% assistance, re-engineered to offer assistance from low cadences, starting on a hill however big the load couldn’t be easier.
SmartphoneHub
Another innovation for 2020, the SmartphoneHub by Bosch offers riders the option of integrating their smartphone bringing connectivity to the handlebar via the COBI.Bike app. In the age of the internet, rather than have an additional device controlling your eBike whilst your hugely powerful and connected smartphone sits in your pocket, allowing your smartphone to take control gives access to an array of incredibly features to enhance your riding experience. Things like displaying important riding data, navigation with 2D and 3D mapping, fitness tracking, making and receiving calls, even streaming your favourite tune on Spotify or listening to your favourite novel on Audible as you glide through the park.
Our Opinion?
We at Fully Charged are super excited to be attending a number of secret previews of the new Bosch kit over the coming weeks and we look forward to giving you more detail and first-hand insight as soon as it becomes available. Watch this space!
