Visiting the little-known Chinese controller maker behind the biggest e-bikes: Lishui factory tour
On a recent trip to China, I visited a wide range of companies and factories in the micromobility industry. Many had big names and bigger reputations, but one company surprised me as a silent, relatively unheard-of force behind many of the biggest e-bike companies in the world.
Meet Lishui, the company you’ve probably never heard of but have almost certainly used their products.
Inside the controller maker’s nondescript buildings are a series of laboratories and manufacturing halls where R&D and production occur. The company designs and builds controllers, essentially the brains of an electric bike, as well as other electronic components used in e-bikes and e-scooters.
To get your own look behind the curtain, follow on my tour in the video below. Then keep reading for all of the details!
As I explored the facility, it was impossible to miss the hundreds of electric bicycles parked pedal to pedal, mixed in and around the labs. Many were made by some of the biggest e-bike companies in the industry, both from North America and Europe.
Yes, the companies you’re thinking of right now, their bikes were there. So were the others. It was a veritable who’s who of e-bike movers and shakers. I can’t name names because Lishui doesn’t publicly announce who uses its products. And I’ve had to blur them all in the video and photos, both to protect their identities and because many of the bikes are new, unreleased models that arrive at Lishui early for testing with the company’s newest controllers and drive components.
But the numbers speak for themselves, with Lishui touting over 1,900 clients worldwide and selling over 13 million controllers to date. According to the company, 1 in 3 e-bikes in Europe are rolling around with a Lishui controller.
That success hasn’t come easily or quickly. The company has actually been around since 1979, getting its start making motor controllers for other industries. As the nascent e-bike industry came into fruition, Lishui switched over to purely micromobility controllers by 1997.
Unlike many other e-bike component makers, Lishui differentiates itself by doing all of its software and hardware development in-house. There’s no outsourcing here, they have their own team of nearly 60 engineers working on both the hardware and software side.
Many of those engineers have been with the company for over a decade, helping them retain the kind of talent and experience that tends to float to the top.
Lishui’s products cover three main markets: low-power 250W controllers for European e-bikes, higher-power 500W to 2,000W controllers for the North American market, and specialty controllers such as those with custom designs to fit inside battery cases and other specific use cases. For that last group, the company has developed deep connections with major battery makers over the past decade to help integrate its controllers directly into their battery cases.
And while many companies build controllers, Lishui further differentiates itself with a custom IoT suite, essentially making their controllers connected devices that allow companies and even end users to connect to the controllers over their phones and set or change parameters at will.
Along the way, Lishui has expanded its scope to include designing and building Bluetooth-enabled handlebar displays to take advantage of its sophisticated controllers further.
But designing such components is only half the battle. Lishui also handles in-house production of its high-tech components, using processes that are rooted in repetitive quality checks and spot tests to ensure all components are produced properly.
Much of the circuit board production occurs on-site here, with Lishui operating their own massive industrial soldering machines. A few hand soldering tasks are performed for larger components though, such as for the thicker power cables.
The circuit boards move to the mounting stages next, where they are enclosed in an extruded aluminum case and then filled with potting material to protect the electronics from water.
Next, the controllers are passed to the inspection stage, where they are connected to a testing rig that runs a series of 76 unique tests on the controllers. Each controller runs through these tests, ensuring that every product that leaves the factory has been electronically inspected for conformity and performance.
Interestingly, I even got to see a few aspects of the factory that I wasn’t expecting. For example, the company’s founder Mr. Xu, who it turns out has a major gardening hobby, has basically turned every bit of ground in the factory complex into sprawling gardens.
He’s got his own greenhouse for ornamentals but also large greenhouses for growing food throughout the winter months. Vines and trees dot the property, and a good-sized farm is tucked behind one of the warehouses, which is used to grow food used in the factory’s cafeteria for the workers.
In fact, Mr. Xu actually eats the same food in the same cafeteria as the workers, which was a refreshing sight to see. In other factories, I’ve seen VIP areas off to the side for the bosses to eat, and so it’s great to see that everyone from a new hire to the company founder all share the same lunch together.
Does it have any impact on the quality of the controllers? Maybe not. But the good morale that comes from walking among trees and flowers all day, as well as knowing that your boss doesn’t sit in an ivory tower, sure helps lead to a nicer working atmosphere. And so perhaps that does ultimately impact the quality of the work after all.
In the several hours I spent visiting Lishui, I went from not knowing much about this obscure powerhouse of a controller manufacturer to having a much deeper understanding of how they can supply millions of controllers to the world’s largest e-bike brands.
It all comes back to their depth of knowledge and experience in the field, their dedication to in-house development, and rigorous quality inspections.
And as an interesting final note, after seeing all of those secret e-bikes lining the halls and sides of the company test track, I now realize that I’ve had a few Lishui controllers sitting in my garage back home this whole time!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![This electric excavator has battery swap tech that lets it recharge in minutes [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/electric-excavator.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
UPDATE: telematics announcement.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
Telematics announcement at bauma
Earlier today, XCMG launched its next-generation Xrea Global Telematics Platform, integrating IoT, big data, cloud computing, and AI to enable what it’s caling, “seamless cross-border fleet management.”
The new telematics platform supports a dozen languages via PC and mobile interfaces, and offers real-time diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and data-driven optimization of both the vehicle and the vehicle’s batteries, empowering equipment managers and fleet operators to track fleets across town, or across time zones.
“XCMG remains committed to advancing engineering technology to empower a sustainable future. Our mission is to deliver efficient, intelligent, and eco-friendly lifecycle solutions for global clients,” said Mr. Yang Dongsheng, Chairman of XCMG Group and XCMG Machinery. “Today, 19% of our product portfolio comprises green innovations under our ‘Green Mountain’ new energy line, with full electrification across all series underway.”
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG; via PR Newswire.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![A vast 600 MW Texas solar farm just hit a major milestone [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Hornet-Solar-Texas-2.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Renewable developer Vesper Energy has cut the ribbon on Hornet Solar in Swisher County, Texas, one of the largest single-phase solar farms in the US.
As Electrek reported in January, the 600-megawatt (MW) Hornet Solar includes over 1.36 million modules covering more than 6 square miles. The project will contribute more than $100 million in new tax revenue to Swisher County and deliver 600 MWac of energy–enough to power 160,000 homes annually.
January 30, 2025: “The seamless coordination between our team and our EPC partner, Blattner, has enabled us to remain ahead of schedule and on budget while ensuring quality throughout the process,” said Juan Suarez, co-CEO of Irving-based Vesper Energy.
Hornet Solar uses bifacial solar panels mounted on a single-axis tracking system to maximize efficiency. The solar farm is connected to Oncor Electric’s transmission system within ERCOT and is contracted to provide power to four off-take partners through individual Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs).
The Hornet Solar project in the Texas Panhandle is on track to be fully online by spring 2025.
Texas is a utility-scale solar leader in the US, with a ranking of No. 2 and 37,713 MW currently installed. It’s projected to install 51,144 MW over the next five years and move into the No. 1 spot, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The total solar investment in the state is $45.2 billion.
On January 21, the SEIA, Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation (CTEI), Advanced Power Alliance (APA), and the Texas Solar + Storage Association (TSSA) reported that existing and expected utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage projects will contribute over $20 billion in total tax revenue – and pay Texas landowners $29.5 billion – over the projects’ lifetimes.
Read more: Texas just became No 1 in the US for most utility-scale solar
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway