Hardly any other topic has occupied the E-MTB world as much in recent years as the integration of batteries. Bosch Powertube battery has characterised an entire generation of electric bicycles. The advantages are obvious and simple: a stylish look. Also from Shimano the BT-E8020, a 500 Wh battery that can be recessed into the down tube, has been available for two years. However, this is used much less. The angular shape makes the down tube very bulky, a second E8020 battery doesn't disappear into the rucksack as easily and the handling during installation and removal is a little awkward on many e-MTBs. The new Shimano battery should put an end to this dilemma.
Visually, the newcomer from Shimano is very similar to the Powertube battery from Bosch. The dimensions are also almost identical. The manufacturer can fit a cover to the battery that is customised to its frame design. This allows the energy carrier to disappear elegantly into the down tube. This is also reminiscent of Bosch's Powertube. The E8035 battery alone weighs 2855 grams and is therefore only slightly lighter than its Bosch counterpart (approx. 2900 g). In terms of capacity, the BT-E8035 also lands in the tried and tested range: 504 watt hours.
The first bike with the new battery was presented at the BIKE Festival in Riva: the Propain Ekano. You can find another bike with E8035 and a very heavy weight in EMTB 2/19 - on newsstands from 14 May!
Conclusion on the Shimano BT-E8035 Intube battery
With the BT-E8035, Shimano offers a welcome alternative to its predecessor, the E8020, which was not entirely convincing in terms of both dimensions and handling. Future Shimano Intube e-MTBs will do better, the handling is excellent! However, neither capacity nor weight stand out. Our initial impression is that the new battery can do roughly what a Bosch Powertube has been doing for two years.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
