Bosch just made its e-bike motors more powerful (among other upgrades)

Bosch eBike Systems, which is Europe’s leading e‑bike drive supplier and powers more than 100 major bike brands, just dropped an impressive suite of upgrades across its Smart System lineup. The stars of the show are enhanced versions of the mid-drive motors in the Cargo Line, Performance Line Speed, Performance Line, and the beefed-up Performance Line SX, all designed to deliver smoother, quieter, and more customizable support.

The highlights? More power, less weight

The Cargo Line of drive systems, intended to provide extra oomph for heavy cargo bikes, now packs up to 100 Nm of torque and 750W of peak power, an upgrade from the previous 85 Nm of torque and 600W peak power rating. It’s also lighter and quieter thanks to gearbox refinements and improved sensors.

Riders can fine-tune their torque or power levels directly in the eBike Flow app, choosing more boost, while accepting trade-offs in battery life and component wear. 

The Performance Line Speed motor group, designed for S-pedelecs (Europe’s version of a Class 3 e-bike in the US) that are legal up to 45 km/h or 28 mph) also jumps to 100 Nm of torque and 750W of peak power, offering up to 400% rider-assist power. Again, Bosch gives riders full control through app-configurable settings. 

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The base Performance Line motors, found in typical city or trekking e‑bikes, retain their improved package but stay at their existing 75 Nm of torque and 600W of peak power, though now come in a lighter 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) unit, which is 400 g (0.9 lb) less than before, making casual riding more natural on a lighter e-bike. 

The Performance Line SX motors, often found on gravel or lightweight urban bikes, receive a free OTA firmware boost later this year. Max torque remains at 60 Nm, but peak power jumps to 600W and 400% assist.

Bosch also introduced a larger capacity PowerTube 540 battery with 540 Wh of capacity, all while maintaining the same form factor and weight. The company combined it with seamless “Touch & Go” sharing, a new digital Battery Lock that bricks the battery to make it useless to thieves, and enhanced app integrations, creating a system that now covers city commuting, cargo hauling, and adventurous e-travel, all with more peace of mind.

Electrek’s Take

I think it’s fair to say that Bosch isn’t just pushing motors – they’re building a full ecosystem that they use to differentiate themselves even further from other drive makers in the market. The Smart System ties together drive units, batteries, displays, the eBike Flow app, and dealer service networks. By shifting key custom features (power output, speed limits, battery lock) to software sliders, Bosch is also now making it easier for brands to offer unique experiences for their e-bikes without big or costly hardware changes, which only makes them even more relevant.

While I don’t think Bosch’s latest drive upgrades reinvent e‑biking, they significantly polish it. More power, more precision, more customization – all while keeping weight low and ride smooth – is pretty much exactly what customers have been asking for. With various riding scenarios such as urban commuters hauling kids, cargo riders climbing hills, and weekend urban warriors, these subtly smarter motors bring real, practical value.