After Bosch with the launch of its new e-bike drive shook up the market for 2020 just a few weeks ago, Yamaha is now following suit. The Japanese company has also made its new power units smaller, lighter and more accessible and wants to win over more customers in the future.
Improved response behaviour - more available power
Although the current Yamaha PW-X drive unit does not suffer from a lack of power, the new motor should of course take things up a notch, according to the Japanese company's promise. However, instead of further increasing the peak performance of the system under ideal conditions (80 Newton metres, 250 watts), Yamaha wants to have eliminated a known weak point. The power should now be available over a wider cadence range so that it can really be utilised in any situation. The predecessor was no longer able to provide the necessary power, especially at high cadences.
To this end, many details of the motors have been fine-tuned, which should lead to a completely new riding experience. The response behaviour of both the PW-X2 sports model (successor to the PW-X) and the PW Series ST all-round motor (successor to the PW Series SE) is said to have been significantly improved. The X2 is also equipped with a new freewheel system, which is intended to reduce the freewheel travel by a third and ensure that the motor engages more quickly when travelling uphill.
4-sensor system and new driving mode - more compact design for better ergonomics
Both models now also benefit from the so-called 4-sensor system, which automatically recognises uphill and downhill and makes a new motor profile possible: In Automatic Support Mode, the motor controls the power itself and is designed to reduce or prevent the rear wheel from spinning and the front wheel from climbing when riding uphill, for example, thanks to its particularly smooth response behaviour, even on slippery surfaces.
What is new and perhaps most important is that the Yamaha X2 should now be able to utilise its maximum torque even at higher pedalling frequencies - also thanks to the 4-sensor technology. Yamaha claims an increase in torque of 50 per cent compared to the old motor at 100 revolutions per minute. A weight reduction of 380 grams and a 13 per cent reduction in volume as well as improved cooling are further highlights of the new e-bike motors from Yamaha. The X2 is now only 98.5 millimetres wide and the axle now measures just 128 millimetres, which enables a narrower Q-factor and therefore a more "normal" and comfortable riding experience. The exclusive EXPW mode (Extra High Power) rounds off the features of the new PW-X2 motor.
All information on the new engine can be found on the Website of the manufacturer.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
