Article 2020 Bosch Update: New motors, 625Wh battery and more

[SquireRides]

According to Bosch the new battery is 17,4Ah. That's 630Wh for a 36V battery. So, yeah, it isn't actually 625Wh Not sure why they decided to call it 625, most manufacturers seem to just go with the rated capacity by voltage to get the theoretical max capacity for their batteries, which is 630 in this case.
The eBike battery: long range, low weight, easy to charge (tech data at the bottom of the page)

And the Power Pack 500 is much less than 500Wh

36v x 13.4Ah = 482Wh

So, in actually really factually, the new Pack 625 is nearly 30% embiggened.

 

[Doomanic]

Thanks @knut7 that’s exactly the info I was after.

 

[knut7]

And the Power Pack 500 is much less than 500Wh

36v x 13.4Ah = 482Wh

So, in actually really factually, the new Pack 625 is nearly 30% embiggened.

Yeah, that's right. They seem to be using 3350mAh cells for their 500 batteries, and not 3500mAh like Shimano and others are using. In real life there may not be any difference between them though.

For their new Powertube 625 they probably use the 3500mAh cells (3,5Ah*3,6V*50=630Wh)

 

[Marke]

Batteries to big. 80% of my rides only require about 300w. Don't need to carry about the extra weight. Also the new battery is two big and heavy to go in my backpack. My current bike has a 500w battery and I stick a second one in my backpack for longer rides.

No attempt to address motor reliability, still not willing to sell us spare parts or allow us to repair our own motors. Sorry bosch, don't believe your motors will last for ever.

No interest

 

[Kingfisher]

> Batteries to big. 80% of my rides only require about 300w. Don't need to carry about the extra weight. Also the new battery is two big and heavy to go in my backpack. My current bike has a 500w battery and I stick a second one in my backpack for longer rides.

Battery (2020 PowerTube) will be available in 400, 500 and 630 Wh. 400 and 500 will be the old size, can be fitted to the 2020 bikes with a small plastic adapter. The 630 is not backwards compatible.

> No attempt to address motor reliability, still not willing to sell us spare parts or allow us to repair our own motors. Sorry bosch, don't believe your motors will last for ever.

Bosch has a service set available for the drive.
My CX is now at 7.000km, and I still haven't installed the maintenance pack.

 

[Marke]

> Batteries to big. 80% of my rides only require about 300w. Don't need to carry about the extra weight. Also the new battery is two big and heavy to go in my backpack. My current bike has a 500w battery and I stick a second one in my backpack for longer rides.

>>Battery (2020 PowerTube) will be available in 400, 500 and 630 Wh. 400 and 500 will be the old size, can be fitted to the 2020 bikes with a small plastic adapter. The 630 is not backwards compatible.

>>> My battery is the bosch model fitted to the 2018 bikes, 500wh. Shorter and fatter, fits much better in backpack. The 2020 is longer and thinner. The newer versions they've released are less suitable for short rides(you carry extra weight) and less suitable for longer rides (don't fit in backpack as well). If you do carry a spare new battery in your backpack the total capacity could be > 1.2 kw. I would never use this amount so it's unnecessary weight for me.

> No attempt to address motor reliability, still not willing to sell us spare parts or allow us to repair our own motors. Sorry bosch, don't believe your motors will last for ever.

>> your video

>>> This addresses one specific fault on the old motor (not the 2020), the drive side bearing. It does not address any other fault at all. Any other failure outside warranty (no matter how insignificant) will require a new motor at 700 euros. It rains alot where I live and is very muddy.


Still no interest thanks for the information though.

 

[MattyB]

I agree reliability is the area where the motors need to make most progress, but I'm not sure I'd single out Bosch as any worse than the others. The failure rates of the Brose motor in the Specialized's seem to be frighteningly high (I don't know anyone with a Levo who hasn't had at least one new motor under warranty), and Shimano are not perfect either (@Gary has gone through several sets of bearings I know, and I've read of quite a few others too). With the current generation of motors I think you have to budget for a new one if you intend to keep the bike more than 1 year after it's warranty period ends.

 

[Marke]

I agree reliability is the area where the motors need to make most progress, but I'm not sure I'd single out Bosch as any worse than the others. The failure rates of the Brose motor in the Specialized's seem to be frighteningly high (I don't know anyone with a Levo who hasn't had at least one new motor under warranty), and Shimano are not perfect either (@Gary has gone through several sets of bearings I know, and I've read of quite a few others too). With the current generation of motors I think it's more or less required to budget for a new one if you intend to keep the bike more than 1 year after it's warranty period ends.

Couldn't agree with you more, they all need to raise their game. Spare parts for all!.

 

[Doomanic]

No attempt to address motor reliability,

How do you know? Have you seen a stripped down 2020 motor?

 

[Indigo]

I like the new Bosch PowerTube 625 battery. The case appears to be an aluminium extrusion with screwed on end plates. That makes it super easy to upgrade to higher capacity cells in the future when the original battery wears out.

 

[Doomanic]

Is there confirmation of cell type and configuration?
Is it still 18650s in a 10S5P configuration?

 

[knut7]

Is there confirmation of cell type and configuration?
Is it still 18650s in a 10S5P configuration?

Yeah, most likely.The 630Wh capacity is what you get from 50 3500mah cells. And the ~500gr weight increase over the Powertube 500 suggests another 10 18650 cells have been adds.

 

[Doomanic]

I wonder if there's any chance of them doing a 625Wh frame battery...

 

[R120]

Now this really is interesting - new Simplon has the ability to use the existing external battery as a booster pack - wondering if this is a feature available on all new Bosch bikes?

Simplon Rapcon Pmax: Versatile performance eMTB announced | E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine

 

[Richt20000]

The only thing I hope is the new bosch motor allows normal length chainstays. Not interested in anything with more than 435mm

 

[MattyB]

The only thing I hope is the new bosch motor allows normal length chainstays. Not interested in anything with more than 435mm

There are not many ebikes with chainstays that short irrelevant of the motor chosen as manufacturers tend to add in a bit compared to a clockwork to improve climbing ability, but given the dimensions of the new Bosch I don’t see why short chainstays shouldn’t be possible.

 

[Gary]

The only thing I hope is the new bosch motor allows normal length chainstays. Not interested in anything with more than 435mm

Yeah. I thought that before i actually rode any emtbs.
's funny. I'm a massive fan of short stays on hardtails. all of mine have had sub 400mm stays since the 90s but I really wouldn't want anywhere near as short on an Emtb hardtail or longer travel FS.
Right around 445mm seems to be my sweetspot for playfulness while remaining stable on my 170mm Emtb and my 200mm DH bikes. 435mm is what my 170mm Enduro bike has and that would be too short and pop happy for the Emtb (pretty much the same geometry as my emtb except for stay length).

I just bought an EHardtail (not here yet) and kinda wished I could have gotten 430mm ish on that though (instead of the 450mm it's listed as). but the deal was too good to turn down really and it should still be sweet for it's intended use.

 

[Richt20000]

For the trails I ride, ie very tight and steep techy, mainly in woods with short catch berms, short chainstays rule. Just got rid of my kenevo for its 445mm chainstays and un poppy nature. So far I’ve got either the spectral On or RM altitiude to choose from.

Climbing is fine with short CSs you just need to get over the front. I can climb anything I could on my kenevo on the altitiude.

Stuck between sizes on the altitiude though and Canyon is backed up by canyon support (worthless)...