Could E-CVT Save the Motor Gearbox Unit (MGU)?

[TorAtle]

2028 production launch, too bad. As a system, it seems less complicated to engineer than a motor and gears like the Pinion MGU (although the Pinion gearbox has been around for a long time). Also a lot of advantages from a user perspective. I do think it is most suited for city/trekking/adventure/cargo bikes, but I wouldn't rule it out for emtbs if they can optimize impulse response.

 

[slickrock]

Owuru's CVT is real and will shake the market up a bit it looks like.

Owuru’s gearbox unit – the Pinion MGU killer?

With their new gearbox unit, Owuru unveil a stepless, fully automatic motor/gearbox unit delivering up to 150 Nm of torque and 1,000 W peak power. Here's what we thought of it on the trail.

ebike-mtb.com

It's good that this article provides deeper clarity on the motor and numbers look good, especially in the power and torque department. That the author preferred the ride performance of an what is barely an Alpha product over the Pinion MGU is a good sign. Pinion really does need a second iteration of their motor as well to step up their own game, but uptake has been slow (Rob's Haibike recent review does help a bit).

2028 production launch, too bad. As a system, it seems less complicated to engineer than a motor and gears like the Pinion MGU (although the Pinion gearbox has been around for a long time). Also a lot of advantages from a user perspective. I do think it is most suited for city/trekking/adventure/cargo bikes, but I wouldn't rule it out for emtbs if they can optimize impulse response.

The 2028 Prod date seems too long. Owuru already has a city-version of this MGU on the market. Not sure why another 2.5 years are needed to get this tech out.

 

[DirkWisely]

I'd love to see them package it better/shrink it, even if it means less power.

 

[TonTonUB]

If owuru fail to release before 2027 or early 2027, it's chinese version will litterally destroy the ebike market.
Oh, and i hope this time (not like Pinion) they will finish the job (slim battery, integrated screen, wireless controller).

 

[slickrock]

If owuru fail to release before 2027 or early 2027, it's chinese version will litterally destroy the ebike market.
Oh, and i hope this time (not like Pinion) they will finish the job (slim battery, integrated screen, wireless controller).

Is this a general sentiment, of which I'm in agreement, or do you have some intel worth sharing on some new hybrid drive coming out of China? Could this be DGi? I've gotsta know. E2 has been quiet as of late, but maybe keeping their powder dry for a bigger announcement at Eurobike.

 

[TonTonUB]

Is this a general sentiment, of which I'm in agreement, or do you have some intel worth sharing on some new hybrid drive coming out of China? Could this be DGi? I've gotsta know. E2 has been quiet as of late, but maybe keeping their powder dry for a bigger announcement at Eurobike.

let's say 50/50 , but nothing to share.
When the innovation bomb will once again land , i fear the worst for our (bike) industry, who went the lazy / asleep way.
Or maybe Chinese became too strong and fast on innovation cycle ?
Sadly, bike industry is only following the global shipwreck trend of EU / US civilization ... a matter of cycle ?

 

[jeanjean]

x-series-new - GOBAO E-Bike Drive Unit

Complexity disappear Motor and transmission are combined into a single unit. 
An automatic, continuously variable transmission takes care 
of shifting, with an option for manual control. Precisely tuned. 
Natural in the way it rides. Connectivity that makes sense Connected to your smartphone and...

gobao-ebike.com

Things are happening...

 

[Zimmerframe]

x-series-new - GOBAO E-Bike Drive Unit

Complexity disappear Motor and transmission are combined into a single unit. 
An automatic, continuously variable transmission takes care 
of shifting, with an option for manual control. Precisely tuned. 
Natural in the way it rides. Connectivity that makes sense Connected to your smartphone and...

gobao-ebike.com

Things are happening...

Thread :

www.emtbforums.com/threads/gobao-ecvt-emtb-mid-drive-motor.47672/#post-702056

 

[slickrock]

x-series-new - GOBAO E-Bike Drive Unit

Complexity disappear Motor and transmission are combined into a single unit. 
An automatic, continuously variable transmission takes care 
of shifting, with an option for manual control. Precisely tuned. 
Natural in the way it rides. Connectivity that makes sense Connected to your smartphone and...

gobao-ebike.com

Things are happening...

Yep. And also the critical announcement of the Avinox MG mtor.
At long last, a vindication for ECVT technology and the true establishment of a deraileur-less EMTB future.

 

[jeanjean]

They were some discussions in the gobao and avinox MG posts regarding the possibility to ride with an empty battery.

That's what decathlon says for it's owuru powered city bike:

Source: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/long-...e-electric-city-bike-ld-920-e/355444/m8883702

"

• CAN YOU RIDE THE BIKE WITH A FLAT BATTERY?
• To make sure you reach your destination with peace of mind and to extend your bike's range as much as possible, we've managed the way the battery discharges.
• When you have only 20% battery remaining, TURBO mode can't be used.
• When there's only 10% battery remaining, only ECO mode can be used.At 5% charge, the assistance cuts out so that there's still enough power for the controller to work. This allows you to pedal normally, even without assistance."

 

[Vision_Tim]

Curious, but what about when the battery is at 0% charge? I guess we'll find out.

 

[jeanjean]

Curious, but what about when the battery is at 0% charge? I guess we'll find out.

German people say

"Wer liebt, der schiebt"

(If you love, you push)

 

[Onetime]

Curious, but what about when the battery is at 0% charge? I guess we'll find out.

Is this really an issue? I’ve never ever run out of battery on any of my e-bikes. I don’t get how you’d do that. Assess your range as you ride and adjust accordingly. It’s not hard.

 

[jeanjean]

Is this really an issue? I’ve never ever run out of battery on any of my e-bikes. I don’t get how you’d do that. Assess your range as you ride and adjust accordingly. It’s not hard.

Happened once to a friend (turbo modus driver).
Happens regularly to me, but only when I have the spare battery in the backpack.

 

[Vision_Tim]

I don't know, not being able to pedal without a charged battery seems like the breaking point to me. Too close to an electric motorcycle for my taste. I know, hot take, but it's kind of the core of the experience, the visceral feel of pedaling. With this, are we pedaling by wire essentially?

 

[DirkWisely]

I don't know, not being able to pedal without a charged battery seems like the breaking point to me. Too close to an electric motorcycle for my taste. I know, hot take, but it's kind of the core of the experience, the visceral feel of pedaling. With this, are we pedaling by wire essentially?

Planetary gears are direct linkages to the rear wheel. It could feel different, but I think it will feel good.

 

[TimC7]

I don't know, not being able to pedal without a charged battery seems like the breaking point to me. Too close to an electric motorcycle for my taste. I know, hot take, but it's kind of the core of the experience, the visceral feel of pedaling. With this, are we pedaling by wire essentially?

I guess you won't get bikes that you can ride as a manual with the battery removed. So long as the BMS cuts power to the motor at 5% battery then the remaining power should run the CVT for hours, probably longer than you want to pedal it!

 

[Ndanger]

Also cvts are for crusing not racing. I don't think there is a top race vehicle that uses a cvt. If they were better than a gearbox then they would be used in F1, nascar, motogp, motocross, etc.

Not so fast round eyes... snowmobiles have been using belt driven CVT transmissions since the beginning of time. We call them snow machines and they have (or had) the fastest acceleration of any production vehicle, at least they did so , I have not checked the recent EV numbers.

So...
Sowmobiles regularly compete on asphalt drag strips using wheeled conversions and specialized tracks.

The overall eighth-mile asphalt world records were smashed at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, when a guy rode a turbocharged Outlaw drag sled to blistering times of 4.43 and 4.36 seconds !

 

[DylanJM]

Traditional belt driven CVTs are not relevant to what Avinox and Gobao have shown (i.e. eCVTs).