Bafang, an Asian manufacturer of e-mobility componentsis entering the e-mountainbike business. On the Eurobike 2017 the Asians are presenting several motors and batteries at the same time: The mid-motor will be available in two different power variants, with fully integrated batteries to match. There is also a new hub motor.
Mid-motor M500 / M600
Bafang advertises the new mid-motor as the most powerful of its kind: The M500 should deliver a legally compliant 250 watts, the M600 350 or 600 watts. The units are said to deliver 95 to 120 Newton metres of torque. The maximum speed of the motor will be adapted to the legal situation; in Germany there will be a 25k m/h version for e-mountain bikes and a 45k m/h version for S-pedelecs. The motor can be combined with both single and double drives. Thanks to the small installation space, chainstays of less than 450 millimetres should be possible, while the Q-factor is 177 millimetres according to the manufacturer. The weight of the motor should be less than 3.0 or 3.4 kilograms - that would be a very good value.
H800 hub motor
The hub motor should deliver 350 or 500 watts of power. The maximum torque should be 55 Newton metres and the heat development should be limited. The motor is compatible with thru axles in Boost format and has a special interface to the dropout. This should ensure that the aggragate is secured against twisting. Possible wheel sizes are 27.5 and 29 inches. Another special feature: the motor is connected to the battery via a quick-release connector. This means that the rear wheel can be removed quickly and easily.
Intube battery F-series
Both centre motors and the hub motor are compatible with the Intube battery. There is a choice of 370 or 600 Wh. The batteries can be removed upwards or downwards. There will also be a semi-integrated battery with a generous 1000 Wh capacity. The batteries consist of 18650 cells from Panasonic/Samsung. Bafang would like to offer a 21700 cell battery in the near future.
