RELEASE: Bosch's Compact Performance Line SX Drive Unit

With the Performance Line SX, Bosch eBike Systems is setting new standards for sporty riding with lightweight eMTBs, eGravel bikes and eUrban bikes. The new drive unit combines high performance with low weight – making it the Bosch drive with the highest power density. These features and the finely tuned support ensure a natural riding sensation and enable sporty eBiking on the trail and intensive training rounds on gravel, as well as fast rides through the city.

"Now that most types of bicycle have been electrified, the individual categories are becoming even more diverse. With the new Performance Line SX, we are primarily targeting sporty riders, for whom a low total weight is important for riding fast and experiencing a natural flow," explains Claus Fleischer, CEO of Bosch eBike Systems. "Our goal was to maintain the typical Bosch quality, riding performance and reliability and transfer these to light, agile bikes. With the Performance Line SX, state-of-the-art eBike designs and maximum riding fun can be optimally combined."

New Agility in eMountain biking

With a light eMTB, the combination of frame geometry, weight, motor power and battery capacity essentially determines the ride characteristics. Riders of this type of eMTB benefit from the advantages of the Performance Line SX, especially on trails with frequent technical passages and tight bends. The peak power of up to 600 W that can be generated at high cadence effectively supports eBikers, for example on steep uphill sections. On flatter terrain or in downhill sections, the drive unit, which weighs only around two kilograms thanks to its lightweight design and magnesium housing, provides the necessary agility and excels by virtue of its extremely efficient and energy-saving handling. It delivers a maximum torque of 55 Newton metres and a power-to-weight ratio of up to 300 watts per kilogram. Combined with its sensitive response characteristics, the Performance Line SX enables a very natural riding sensation. It is therefore destined for sporty riders: When riding with a high pedal power and at a high cadence, riders are rewarded with powerful support. This is supplemented by the perfectly tuned, dynamic-progressive Tour+ and EMTB riding modes, which can be customised using the eBike Flow app.

The energy for trail adventures is provided by the new CompactTube 400 battery, which is also optimally adapted to the Performance Line SX. As the lightest battery in the Bosch eBike portfolio that can be integrated into the frame down tube, it also features the highest energy density thanks to innovative cell technology. Weighing only around two kilograms, it has a capacity of 400 watt-hours – more than sufficient for sporty, ambitious riders who put more power into the pedals anyway. When additional battery power is needed on intense trails, the new PowerMore 250 range extender (approx. 1.6 kilograms, 250 watt hours), which is only the size of a water bottle, increases the range by more than 60 percent in conjunction with the CompactTube 400.

Technical Refinements for a Particularly Natural Riding Sensation

In addition to the specific advantages of the Performance Line SX for light eMTBs, eGravel bikes and eUrban bikes, the new drive unit delivers further optimisations across all areas of application. These include, for example, the innovative, very low-noise motor and gearbox concept. Thanks to a new sealing concept and narrow cranks (Q factor: 160 mm), the pedal resistance is barely noticeable, making the eBike experience even more pleasant.

The first models with the Performance Line SX are expected to be available on the market from late 2023.