Bosch has unveiled the latest generation of its popular Active Line Plus electric bicycle motor, bringing more power, less weight, and a significantly smaller footprint to one of the company’s most widely used drive systems.
The new motor is designed primarily for everyday riders, including commuters, recreational cyclists, and those who want a comfortable e-bike that can handle everything from city streets to weekend trail rides.
And while it isn’t Bosch’s most powerful motor, the upgrades are fairly substantial.
The new Active Line Plus now produces up to 600 watts of peak power and 60 Nm of torque, along with a maximum pedal assistance level of 340%. That’s enough to give riders a healthy boost when accelerating away from traffic lights or climbing hills, without necessarily turning their everyday commuter into an overpowered mountain bike.
Like its predecessor, the motor is designed for Class 1 electric bicycles in the US, providing pedal assistance up to 20 mph (32 km/h) without a throttle.
Remember, the Active Line motor is the drive system model that many e-bike companies use for their modestly performing e-bikes. It gives good power and control, combined with all the tech we’ve come to expect from Bosch, but it isn’t the motor e-bike makers use when they need an electric mountain bike to scale a steep mountainous trail.
Smaller, lighter, and quieter
Perhaps even more interesting than the increased power is what Bosch has done to the motor’s physical design.
The company developed a new two-stage gearbox that helps reduce the motor’s overall volume by 17% while shaving approximately 1.1 lb (0.5 kg) off its weight.
The new drive unit now tips the scales at around 6 lb (2.7 kg), making it easier for bicycle manufacturers to integrate into slimmer, more traditional-looking frames.
Bosch also says the new gearbox uses specially machined gears to make the motor virtually silent, while updated sensors and software provide smoother, more natural-feeling pedal assistance.
That’s particularly important for a motor like the Active Line Plus, where riders are often looking for an experience that feels like riding a regular bicycle, just with a bit of extra help.
The motor also supports Bosch’s eShift electronic shifting system, which can automatically manage gear changes for riders who prefer to focus on pedaling instead of shifting.
Bosch has additionally improved the motor’s sealing and bearings for better all-weather durability. The housing uses approximately 40% recycled aluminum, helping reduce the carbon footprint of its production.
Coming soon to new electric bikes
Trek will be the first North American bicycle brand to introduce the new Active Line Plus motor, installing it on the company’s Marlin+ electric bike.
Bosch also announced several other additions to its e-bike ecosystem, including a new compact LED Controller that’s 65% smaller than its predecessor, an updated ConnectModule with Bluetooth-based theft tracking, and a new 720 Wh PowerTube battery weighing just 8.6 lb (3.9 kg).
There’s also a new Intuvia 200 display, offering a 2.4-inch grayscale screen for riders who prefer a traditional handlebar-mounted display.
While high-performance e-bike motors tend to grab the headlines with increasingly outrageous torque figures, there’s something to be said for improvements to the more practical end of the market – something for the riders looking for convenient and effective transportation instead of peak performance figures.
For the average commuter or recreational rider, a quieter, lighter motor with plenty of usable power is likely to make a bigger difference than squeezing another few dozen Newton-meters out of an already powerful drive system.
And with Bosch’s extensive network of bicycle manufacturing partners, we can expect to see this updated motor making its way into plenty of new electric bikes.
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