This motor could be the future of e-bikes

Imagine an e-bike motor that lets you select your preferred pedaling cadence and then automatically adjusts the gears to keep your legs turning at that set speed, no matter how steep the hill—all without a shaky understeer or a heavy multi-speed cassette to maintain. Prefer manual control? No problem, you can have as many gears as you want in whatever ratio makes you feel more connected to the terrain. This is the e-bike motor that was announced last week at the big Eurobike trade show in Frankfurt, by not just one company, but two.

Pictured above is the MG concept. It’s a motor gearbox unit, or MGU, from Avinox, a subsidiary of DJI Lifting electric mountain bikes. Avinox burst onto the scene two years ago with the launch of the impressive M1 drivetrain that packed unprecedented power inside a mid-drive motor that was smaller, lighter and cheaper than anything offered by competitors like Bosch or Specialized – and Avinox has just launched M2 series upgrade Two months ago. MG’s concept takes things a step further by combining an electric motor and an automatic gear system within a single, compact housing that allows bike makers to ditch the mounts and cassettes.

Avenox wasn’t alone either. The MG concept appeared alongside the very similar concept X Series MGUs Also announced last week by newcomer Gobao. These next-generation motors could radically change how standard e-bikes are built, though both are starting out in high-end electric mountain bikes that can easily cost $10,000 or more.

Like Formula 1, eMTBs are a technological proving ground for manufacturers whose customers are willing to pay big for a measurable performance advantage. Advances in eMTBs are eventually trickling down to the rest of the bike market, as we’ve seen recently with the new Amflo TL eSUV Built around a traditional Avinox M2 motor, gearbox and cassette.

Existing MGUs, like the ones I made pinionthey actually integrated the gearbox within the engine housing, but still relied on a limited number of separate fixed gear ratios. The innovation behind both Avinox’s MG concept and Gobao’s X-series engines is the eCVT (electronic continuously variable transmission) which adds a layer of computerized precision to eliminate the step-by-step nature of mechanical shifting.

Both new engine gearbox units with integrated eCVTs feature infinite gear ratios that adjust continuously and smoothly, meaning no constant steps between gears (unless you want them to). You can select as many virtual gears as you want using your preferred gear ratios. The system constantly evaluates your speed, pedal pressure and terrain in real time. The motors also feature an auto mode that keeps your legs moving at a constant rhythm, providing a ride similar to Experience a “stepless” transformation. I had a blast in 2023, when I first reviewed a bike equipped with Enviolo’s mechanical CVT.

E-bikes built around these new motor gearboxes should benefit from a more durable transmission that requires much less maintenance, gearing that can shift quickly under heavy load or at a standstill, and improved handling by moving the transmission mass from the rear wheel to the center of the bike.

The Avinox MG was developed in partnership with Canyon, Commencal, Forbidden and Mondraker, who all showed prototype eMTBs at Eurobike – three with chainstays and one with a belt drive. Gobao used a self-branded e-bike at the show to showcase pre-production prototypes of its motor. First flight reports from the show found both MGUs to be very impressive, and Better and quieter than existing Pinion MGUs.

While we’re targeting electric mountain bikes for now, if this new generation of MGU proves reliable and affordable, expect the motors to move into commuter, cargo and family e-bikes within the next few years.

Gobao says it will start mass production of the X1 (120 Nm of torque / 1200 W maximum power) and February 2027According to Pickpiztargets eMTBs and categories that include “urban, touring, cargo, and SUVs.” Avinox offers lower specifications, and is committed to launching it sometime in 2027. The production MG engine is expected to produce roughly the same peak torque and power as the Gobao, and to be “easily adaptable to eMTB, eTrekking, eSUV, eGravel and other bike models.”

Me personally I can’t wait. I’m completely done cutting and bending obstacles on rocks, urban bike racks, and mud and gravel pits from cassette gears. It’s time for a simplified powertrain for people who need to climb hills or carry a heavy load, even if it’s just to get the kids to school via a paved road rather than a black dual carriageway.