Hepha takes off with Guido Tschugg: New e-mountain bikes and new motors from Bavaria

Guido Tschugg was the first professional mountain biker to recognise the potential of e-mountain bikes. In 2015, he became the first ever e-MTB pro under the Haibike banner. Most recently, he was an e-racer and ambassador for Husqvarna. Tschugg had already announced at the end of 2023 that his time with the former Swedish label (now the Austrian Pierer Group) was over. Over the past few weeks, he has already been quite outspoken on social media about the fact that he is now travelling on new, previously unknown bikes. Not only the frame, but also the engine seemed to deviate from familiar shapes. Now there is certainty about the future of the former fourcross star and so far only German Rampage participant: Hepha from Maisach near Munich and Tschugg are going into 2024 together.

Even more interesting for most bikers than Guido Tschugg's professional future: with Hepha, a completely new player is entering the market for sporty e-mountainbikes. And the Upper Bavarians are not relying on Bosch or Shimano motors. No, Hepha has its very own drives in its portfolio.

New e-bike motor: Hepha P100

The facts about the Hepha P100 sound impressive: it has a torque of up to 100 Nm at a weight of just 2.8 kg. Hepha also offers battery options with a capacity of up to 804 Wh and a quick charger with an output of 6 amps. Hepha also promises further smart functions. This puts the Hepha e-bike motor nominally above the classic Bosch and Shimano league in terms of power, but at an absolutely competitive weight. Shimano's EP801 (reviewed here) weighs just under 2.7 kilos, Bosch's Performance Line CX weighs a good 2.9 kilos (to test the Bosch Performance CX). And that's not all: products in the booming light e-mountainbike segment are also set to follow from Hepha in the near future.

Depending on the model version, the Hepha P100 is equipped with 80, 90 or 100 Newton metres. The battery size is also variable and ranges between 708 and 804 watt hours. Visually and in terms of its external design, the drive is very similar to the Steps drives from Shimano. The mountain bike display sits compactly behind the handlebars, close to the stem. At first glance, this is also reminiscent of the Shimano components. However, a closer look reveals a more detailed display and a slightly larger screen. Unfortunately, we do not yet have any pictures of this.

Hepha Mountain 7 - the start of e-mountain biking

The brand's first e-MTB is already available with all the details on the Maisach website. The Hepha Mountain 7 is a hardtail with an aluminium frame and will be available from March. There will be three models between 2799 and 3299. The company is currently offering an "early bird discount". Depending on the model, the motor has a maximum torque of 80 to 100 Newton metres and the battery delivers 708 to 804 watt hours.

High-end e-mountainbike with carbon frame: The Hepha flagship

The bike that Guido Tschugg is currently riding on the trails in a "camouflage look" is set to become the new flagship of Hepha's E-MTB series. A carbon all-mountain e-bike with 150 millimetres of suspension travel. Here, too, up to 804 watt hours and 100 Newton metres are to provide a boost. Judging by the first press images, we would guess a 29er set-up. The battery can probably be folded forwards out of the down tube.

Guido Tschugg will not simply be working as an ambassador for Hepha. According to the press release, the experienced racer and e-mountainbike expert is heavily involved in the development of the new bikes and drives. One of the formative figures in Hepha's development department is Alex Thusbass. He was already involved in the development of the very first e-mountainbike in the early years of Haibike and has driven the progressive development of Haibike in the following years. Here you can read an overview of the milestones and early days of e-mountainbike development. Back then: Guido Tschugg. In addition to the classic series products from Hepha, there will also be special Guido Tschugg signature e-bikes and accessories.

I'm looking forward to the new challenge, especially because I'll be taking on an active role in development for the first time. Optimising E-MTBs in terms of performance is an incredibly exciting field with endless possibilities. The fact that we can also actively involve the drivetrain offers us endless options for bringing perfectly harmonised products to the market. This is exactly what the ePerformance segment is all about - tapping into this potential is a real opportunity - Guido Tschugg

Video: Interview with Guido Tschugg