Mahle e-bike drive techniques simply received considerably lighter because of the massive weight financial savings of their new, extra compact X20 hub motor. Already one of the crucial common light-weight e-bike powertrains for street & gravel, the brand new X20 fully refines & modernizes Mahle (previously eBikemotion) pedal-assist efficiency whereas turning into the “lightest e-bike drive system available on the market” past its improved energy:weight ratio.
Mahle X20 light-weight e-bike drive system
c. Mahle
The earlier Mahle hub motor was in all probability already the most typical drive system we’d discover in light-weight street & gravel e-bikes. Combining a light-weight 250W motor within the hub of the rear wheel, balanced with a small 250W battery hidden contained in the downtube of bikes from the likes of Cannondale, GT, Orbea, Rose, Scott, Simplon, 3T, Urwahn & Wilier (to call only a latest handful), it was a easy and unobtrusive resolution that usually didn’t even require main adjustments to these e-bikes’ analog analogues.
However now, the X20 hub is solely higher throughout.
It’s lighter, smoother, simpler to get on & off the bike, higher built-in, much less obtrusive. Apparently, it’s additionally a bit much less highly effective, giving an added good thing about longer ranges, too.
Tech particulars – What’s new?
The brand new full Mahle X20 system now weighs simply 3.2kg, down 300g from the X35. That’s why Mahle calls it the “lightest e-bike drive system available on the market”. The smaller diameter hub itself drops much more weight than that, round half a kilo down to only 1399g, now that its weight additionally doesn’t want to incorporate its axle or freehub.
These at the moment are each in a position to be pulled out because the X20 makes use of a extra customary 12x142mm thru-axle interface, and now an interchangeable freehub physique that brings compatibility with Shimano HG, SRAM XD-R & Campagnolo N3W cassettes.
Mahle has upgraded the pure experience really feel with a pair of recent sensors measuring utilized torque & cadence on the backside bracket, to extra easily ramp up pedal-assist assist to match rider enter because of sensible “Synthetic Intelligence” programming.
The brand new X20 hub remains to be rated at 250W however its official toque output scales right down to 23Nm on the hub (from 40Nm for the X35), which Mahle says equates to a 55-60Nm toque output from a mid-drive motor because of drivetrain losses. That’s nonetheless a very good bit lower than the 85Nm of a top-tier Shimano EP8 or Bosch Efficiency Line CX motor, however extra corresponding to their second-tier motors or the light-weight Fazua system.
Mahle’s considering (and one we will agree with) is that the decrease peak torque mixed with narrower tires of street & gravel bikes and clever energy administration techniques, truly delivers a a lot smoother pedal-assist with out the jerky really feel of extra highly effective techniques.
The facet good thing about decrease peak torque output is that pedal-assist vary with the identical measurement battery will increase as effectively, so you’ll be able to experience your lighter e-bike farther.
c. Wilier
The smaller X20 rear hub motor additionally removes the exterior energy wiring of the x35, as an alternative including a particular dropout insert (black aspect between rotor & body, above) with a keyed interface that mechanically aligns a water-resistant plug connector (with purple seal, beneath left) whenever you insert the rear wheel.
In comparison with the separate wires and bolt-on axles of the X35 hub, this may make roadside flat repairs a way more manageable affair for anybody who can function a daily QR thru-axle. An enormous improve in user-friendliness!
c. Bike Connection Company, photograph by Rupert Fowler
With wired connections extra hidden inside, a smaller diameter hubshell, and a standard trying thru-axle, the brand new X20 system merely disappears into stealthy e-bikes greater than ever. Even when you already know you’re looking at an e-bike, it’s nonetheless arduous to inform.
c. Wilier
Mahle has added their very own new ANT+ wi-fi Pulsar One biking pc head unit design to interface with the X20 e-bike powertrain, whereas additionally pulling in your individual exterior knowledge from a heartrate monitor and/or energy meter for experience monitoring. In addition they have new non-obligatory E-Shifters which might enable riders to modify modes from the drops, and slimmed down their iWoc mode controller which may be built-in into the highest tube, stem, or one-piece bar like on the Wilier.
There are additionally now three battery choices to energy the X20. The usual 250Wh inside battery carries over and so they’ve added a bigger capability 350Wh inside battery for frames with extra space within the downtube, plus the exterior Vary Extender water bottle battery seems to have been scaled again to 185Wh to higher match in additional e-bikes.
Mahle X20 Availability
c. Scott, photograph by Daniel Geiger
To date, we’ve already seen the brand new light-weight Mahle X20 e-bike drive system made out there in Wilier’s endurance street Filante Hybrid & Scott’s newest Addict eRide e-bikes. We count on many extra light-weight street and gravel e-bikes to affix in with X20 quickly.
