2023-06-22 16:31:00
Until now, the Brose catalog lined up about ten references of motors for electric bicycles, all for a voltage of 36 V. The equipment manufacturer has just presented a new model at the Eurobike show, this time in 48 V. And this, with a certain euphoria which pushed him to adopt for the event the slogan: ” Brush like never before ».
A tense story
Those who discovered electrically assisted bicycles fifteen years ago certainly remember how slow they were to react and the dismal noise they could emit. For a long time now, pedelecs have no longer been seen as models to be reserved for the elderly or those with health problems.
Lighter and sometimes very efficient, they allow you to escape by setting off on difficult and tortuous routes. This has been made possible by the technological progress made both on the cycle part and on the electric motorization and the elements that revolve around it.
What can 48 V bring compared to 36 V? Old car enthusiasts, for example, are no doubt well aware of the difference in noise when starting up between a 6 and a 12 V motor. The starter is a kind of electric motor. The higher the voltage, the better the performance.
Why 48V?
If a 36 V motor is more than enough to practice the electric bike in a city without significant hills, a 48 V model will be justified when responsiveness, torque or top speed are essential. Reaching 45 km/h, for example, is possible with 36 V. The Brose Drive TF is also available for this.
But to climb to 60 km / h, it will be necessary to switch to the new Drive3. This is why there are 48 V blocks in particular in conversion kits which are aimed at cyclists who want to somewhat overcome European regulations relating to pedelecs. Brose is therefore not the first to be interested in 48 V for bicycles.
As for its 36 V motors, the German equipment manufacturer leaves the choice between aluminum or magnesium. Apart from the price, it’s only a question of weight (3.4 against 2.9 kg) and dimensions. Power, torque and other technical characteristics do not move. Note that the motors display identical weights, whether they are 36 or 48 V.
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Small comparison
The good thing about Brose is that its range of motors for electric bikes is very readable. This makes it possible to measure on paper the gain provided by the 48 V versions compared to the 36 V models already in the equipment manufacturer’s catalog.
For a nominal power which remains at 250 W, nothing exceptional in terms of the torque announced at 95 Nm. The Drive S 36 V already promised 90 Nm. The maximum assistance at 410% is identical, by choosing the magnesium version of the old engine. Compatibility with cargo bikes remains, with the same maximum load of 250 kg. Always in order to comply with European legislation on pedelecs, the top speed is limited to 25 km/h, with assistance that can be activated without pedaling up to 6 km/h.
What will really change by adopting the higher tension, it is on the ground that it will have to be checked and tested. This will be, for example, better responsiveness, more available torque from low revs, increased operating silence, a continuously variable automatic transmission, etc.
A 48 V family available in 2024
Offering 48 V motors is good. It is still necessary to marry them with compatible elements. Brose has planned for this, especially with batteries. The top pack is expected to feature an energy capacity of 814 Wh. If the equipment manufacturer seems to want to take a more important place in the world of connected small mobility, it will however be necessary to wait until next year for its 48 V family to be available.
At the end of February, the family business was delighted to celebrate the manufacture of its two millionth electric bicycle motor. It came out of its Berlin factory which employs 150 people. The curve shows an explosion in production. The first million threshold was reached in seven years, from 2014 to 2021. But it only took two more years to double this volume.
This is one of the points put forward at the end of last February during the internal Ride&Feel event organized in Berlin for Brose customers. The main characteristics of the 48 V family were then revealed to carefully selected guests. All of the brand’s engines are Made in Germany, with an 89% share of components coming from the European Union.
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