1.2 vs 2.0E motor

S

Simonsez

New Member
Region
Canada
My apologies if this has been discussed in another thread but I couldn't find much information using the search function. As I continue my never-ending search for the "perfect" ebike for me (it hasn't been easy), I've been reading tons of current and old threads (thanks to all the regular contributors here) to educate myself and see that Specialized has two motors that appear similar on the surface. What are the inherent differences between the 1.2 found on mostly SL designated bikes (Vado SL, Levo SL, Kenovo SL) and the 2.0E that can be found on the lower tiered Teros and Vados? Both have 50nM and probably similar wattage. Is the power delivered differently? Are they both made by Brose or is the 1.2 made by Mahle?
 
It is something that needs to be explained rather carefully. There are two distinct systems:
  • A 36 V "full power" system with 2.0E, 2.0, 2.2, and 3.1 motors, Specialized branded, Brose manufactured, based on a removable big battery;
  • A 48 V SL "Super Lightweight" system with SL 1.1 and SL 1.2 motors owned by Specialized, manufactured by Mahle. The small main battery is basically irremovable (can be removed by the LBS or an advanced user), and there are water-bottle shaped SL Range Extender batteries with their own cabling.
Each of these two systems has its own ecosystem (for instance, the batteries and chargers in either system are different). However, all Specialized "Turbo" e-bikes have a single common component: the Specialized App, which uniformly serves any Specialized Turbo e-bike, even one manufactured in 2017.

The 36 V system is powerful, and its intended use are heavier "full power" Specialized e-bikes (e.g. Levo, Vado). The 48 V SL lightweight low power system is used in lightweight SL Turbos (e.g. Creo 2, Vado SL 2, Levo SL 2).
---------------
Please never look at the torque values, as these are for marketing and are misleading. What really matters is the Maximum Motor Power (mechanical) as well as the Assist factor (how much your own leg power is multiplied to get the assisting motor power).

Let this comparison reveal the difference between the 2.0E and SL 1.2:
  • 2.0E: a 36 V removable battery (530 Wh, upgradable to 710 Wh). 430 W Max Motor Power, Assist 280%; Weight around 3 kg (motor), 4 kg (battery).
  • SL 1.2: a 48 V irremovable battery (320 Wh for Creo 2 or Levo SL 2, 520 Wh for Vado SL 2), SL Range Extender battery, 160 Wh. 320 W Max Motor Power, Assist 210%. Weight: below 2 kg (motor), 2 kg (main 320 Wh battery).
The 2.0E motor and the smaller 530 Wh battery are installed on entry-level "heavy" Turbos. The SL 1.2 motor is installed on newest SL e-bikes.

The power delivery is excellent and natural in both system. However, you are aware you're riding an e-bike on a "full power" model while riding an SL e-bike feels like riding a traditional bicycle :)

Reading:
 
Last edited:
That was an excellent comparison, Stefan. The torque figure is more than marketing, it is an important factor. However, from the end user's perspective, total power and assist level are more important.
 
stompandgo said:
That was an excellent comparison, Stefan. The torque figure is more than marketing, it is an important factor. However, from the end user's perspective, total power and assist level are more important.
Click to expand...
Chris, let me show you how it works. I will give the motor model, max motor power, actual torque and the (marketing torque). Only three full-power motors but the rule is clear here.
  • 2.0E, 430 W, 68 Nm, (50 Nm)
  • 2.0, 470 W, 75 Nm, (70 Nm)
  • 2.2, 565 W, 90 Nm, (90 Nm)
The marketing says 50-70-90. Such simple numbers! In fact, the weakest 2.0E motor is 68 Nm, almost 70! The reason for cheating? Buy a more expensive e-bike. Gosh! 68 Nm is a way higher than the advertised 50!

Now, SL motors:
  • SL 1.1, 240 W, 38 Nm (35 Nm), pretty close
  • SL 1.2, 320 W, 51 Nm (50 Nm), very close
Now, @Simonsez is made to believe the 2.0E and SL 1.2 are similar motors (both 50 Nm)... They are not similar at all!
 
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Stefan Mikes said:
It is something that needs to be explained rather carefully. There are two distinct systems:
  • A 36 V "full power" system with 2.0E, 2.1, 2.2, and 3.1 motors, Specialized branded, Brose manufactured, based on a removable big battery;
  • A 48 V SL "Super Lightweight" system with SL 1.1 and SL 1.2 motors owned by Specialized, manufactured by Mahle. The small main battery is basically irremovable (can be removed by the LBS or an advanced user), and there are water-bottle shaped SL Range Extender batteries with their own cabling.
Each of these two systems has its own ecosystem (for instance, the batteries and chargers in either system are different). However, all Specialized "Turbo" e-bikes have a single common component: the Specialized App, which uniformly serves any Specialized Turbo e-bike, even one manufactured in 2017.

The 36 V system is powerful, and its intended use are heavier "full power" Specialized e-bikes (e.g. Levo, Vado). The 48 V SL lightweight low power system is used in lightweight SL Turbos (e.g. Creo 2, Vado SL 2, Levo SL 2).
---------------
Please never look at the torque values, as these are for marketing and are misleading. What really matters is the Maximum Motor Power (mechanical) as well as the Assist factor (how much your own leg power is multiplied to get the assisting motor power).

Let this comparison reveal the difference between the 2.0E and SL 1.2:
  • 2.0E: a 36 V removable battery (530 Wh, upgradable to 710 Wh). 430 W Max Motor Power, Assist 280%; Weight around 3 kg (motor), 4 kg (battery).
  • SL 1.2: a 48 V irremovable battery (320 Wh for Creo 2 or Levo SL 2, 520 Wh for Vado SL 2), SL Range Extender battery, 160 Wh. 320 W Max Motor Power, Assist 210%. Weight: below 2 kg (motor), 2 kg (main 320 Wh battery).
The 2.0E motor and the smaller 530 Wh battery are installed on entry-level "heavy" Turbos. The SL 1.2 motor is installed on newest SL e-bikes.

The power delivery is excellent and natural in both system. However, you are aware you're riding an e-bike on a "full power" model while riding an SL e-bike feels like riding a traditional bicycle :)

Reading:
Click to expand...
Wow! thank you so much for this detailed explanation. It's certainly interesting how they manipulate the numbers for marketing purposes. Seems like that 2.0E is almost as strong as their 2.1.
 
As another follow up to question. Where I get confused is trying to figure out how much effort will be required from the rider. I realize that the weight of the rider and bike all play a role but say I'm considering a Vado 4.0 SL2 (1.2 motor) and a Vado 4.0 (2.0 motor). I weight about 91kg, here in Canada these bikes are maxxed out at 32 km/h (20 mph). So how much power is required from me to ride at the max speed on a flat surface on both bikes and at what level?
 
I did some calculations using http://bikecalculator.com/
  • Your own weight is 91 kg
  • Vado 4.0 weighs 26.4 kg. Vado SL 2 4.0 is 20.3 kg
  • We assume no wind, flat surface, no cargo.
  • The max achieved speed will be 32 km/h.
1751577992056.png
1751578041353.png

Vado 4.0 vs. Vado SL 2 4.0.

Surprise! In any case you will need 234 W total on average. It is because the weight only matters for climbs and acceleration.

Now, the things become complicated because the power requirement to achieve a given speed is your own leg power plus the motor power. Any Specialized e-bike can have its assistance set between 0 and 100% of the maximum Assist in 5% intervals. Let us compare apples to apples.
  • The 2.0 motor has the max Assist factor of 3.2x
  • The SL 1.2 motor has the max Assist of 2.1x
Meaning, you need to set the SL 2 assistance 3.2/2.1 = 1.52 times higher than for Vado 4.0.
  • A practical ECO Assist for the 2.0 motor is 40% or 0.4 * 3.2 = 1.28x. Your leg power is 1.0. Therefore, the total power is 1 + 1.28 = 2.28 x your leg power. You need 234 W, so your leg power needs to be 234 W/2.28 = 103 W
  • To achieve the same on Vado SL 2, you need to set the Assist to 0.4 * 1.52 = 0.61. You can set the assist to 60%. The SL 1.2 motor will produce 0.60 * 2.1 = 1.26x. The total power will be 1 + 1.26 = 2.26 x your leg power. You need 234 W, so your leg power will be 234 / 2.26 = 104 W.
The bottom line
If you intend to achieve the speed of 32 km/h on the flat in windless conditions, you need to produce 104 W leg power. The Vado 4.0 assistance will be 40% and Vado SL 2 4.0 assistance will be 60%.
In case you cannot produce 104 W leg power, you simply need to increase the assistance. Either e-bike can achieve 32 km/h at even lower leg power in TURBO. It is 56 W for Vado 4.0 or 75 W for Vado SL 2 4.0.

EDIT: I have corrected my calculations for the 2.0 motor that has the Max Assist of 3.2x. The data from July 4th 2025 07:03 CET are correct.

Vado 4.0 vs Vado SL 2 4.0
If you don't have steep hills on your routes, I would go for Vado SL 2, which is more a bicycle than an e-bike :) However, Vado SL 2 must be stored in a heated space for winters, while the Vado 4.0 battery is removable and can be taken indoors.
 
Last edited:
Simonsez said:
As another follow up to question. Where I get confused is trying to figure out how much effort will be required from the rider. I realize that the weight of the rider and bike all play a role but say I'm considering a Vado 4.0 SL2 (1.2 motor) and a Vado 4.0 (2.0 motor). I weight about 91kg, here in Canada these bikes are maxxed out at 32 km/h (20 mph). So how much power is required from me to ride at the max speed on a flat surface on both bikes and at what level?
Click to expand...
I happen to have a spreadsheet designed to answer just this kind of question. But before I finalize your answers, I have 2 questions for @Stefan Mikes :

Let's write a Specialized assist mode tuning like 35/100 as E/M. E is the ease, and M caps the max mechanical motor power available in that mode at the saturation value Ps = (M / 100) Px. For now, just think of the motor property Px as the mechanical power actually available when M = 100.

Now, according to Specialized, the 1.1 SL motor has equal peak and nominal mechanical power outputs of 240W. Not sure how that works, but no question that Px = 240W for this motor. However...

Q1. For the 2.0 motor in the Vado 4.0, they give peak and nominal outputs of 470W and 250W, resp. Should Px = 470W or 250W for this motor?

Q2. For the 1.2 SL motor in the Vado SL 2 4.0, they give 320W and 250W, resp. Should Px = 320W or 250W for this motor?

Thanks! It'll be interesting to see how our answers compare.
 
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The actual max motor power for either case is:
470
320.

The nominal means "something being in name only or having a small, insignificant value". 250 W is only given to satisfy the requirements of the European law. Manufacturers say "250 W is the continuous power the motor can deliver for 30 minutes without overheating". Everybody closes their eye when they see it.

SL 1.1 and several other lightweight older motors deliver up to 250 W or less thus being the only truly lawful EU motors. Not that anyone cares.
 
Last edited:
P.S. I have corrected the figures in post #10. I thought we were discussing the 2.0E motor. I've just corrected the numbers for the 2.0 motor.

If I wanted a perfect e-bike for my flat area, where I can keep the e-bike in the apartment, that would be Vado SL 2 4.0. Canada? Certainly the hills are there. Also, the Canadian winters can be harsh. No heated storage space? Vado 4.0 with a stronger motor, and a bigger removable battery would be the ideal choice!
 
Simonsez said:
So how much power is required from me to ride at the max speed on a flat surface on both bikes and at what level?
Click to expand...
To address the assist level part of that question, I'd need the rider power you're willing to contribute to go 20 mph on smooth, flat pavement in still air.

Q. Would 100W be comfortable? That's only 1.10 W/kg in your case.

If not 100W, please give me another number to use. Thanks!
 
Stefan Mikes said:
It is something that needs to be explained rather carefully. There are two distinct systems:
  • A 36 V "full power" system with 2.0E, 2.0, 2.2, and 3.1 motors, Specialized branded, Brose manufactured, based on a removable big battery;
  • A 48 V SL "Super Lightweight" system with SL 1.1 and SL 1.2 motors owned by Specialized, manufactured by Mahle. The small main battery is basically irremovable (can be removed by the LBS or an advanced user), and there are water-bottle shaped SL Range Extender batteries with their own cabling.
Each of these two systems has its own ecosystem (for instance, the batteries and chargers in either system are different). However, all Specialized "Turbo" e-bikes have a single common component: the Specialized App, which uniformly serves any Specialized Turbo e-bike, even one manufactured in 2017.

The 36 V system is powerful, and its intended use are heavier "full power" Specialized e-bikes (e.g. Levo, Vado). The 48 V SL lightweight low power system is used in lightweight SL Turbos (e.g. Creo 2, Vado SL 2, Levo SL 2).
---------------
Please never look at the torque values, as these are for marketing and are misleading. What really matters is the Maximum Motor Power (mechanical) as well as the Assist factor (how much your own leg power is multiplied to get the assisting motor power).

Let this comparison reveal the difference between the 2.0E and SL 1.2:
  • 2.0E: a 36 V removable battery (530 Wh, upgradable to 710 Wh). 430 W Max Motor Power, Assist 280%; Weight around 3 kg (motor), 4 kg (battery).
  • SL 1.2: a 48 V irremovable battery (320 Wh for Creo 2 or Levo SL 2, 520 Wh for Vado SL 2), SL Range Extender battery, 160 Wh. 320 W Max Motor Power, Assist 210%. Weight: below 2 kg (motor), 2 kg (main 320 Wh battery).
The 2.0E motor and the smaller 530 Wh battery are installed on entry-level "heavy" Turbos. The SL 1.2 motor is installed on newest SL e-bikes.

The power delivery is excellent and natural in both system. However, you are aware you're riding an e-bike on a "full power" model while riding an SL e-bike feels like riding a traditional bicycle :)

Reading:
Click to expand...
Very well articulated and I 100% agree based on experiential knowledge.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
I did some calculations using http://bikecalculator.com/
  • Your own weight is 91 kg
  • Vado 4.0 weighs 26.4 kg. Vado SL 2 4.0 is 20.3 kg
  • We assume no wind, flat surface, no cargo.
  • The max achieved speed will be 32 km/h.
View attachment 196327 View attachment 196328
Vado 4.0 vs. Vado SL 2 4.0.

Surprise! In any case you will need 234 W total on average. It is because the weight only matters for climbs and acceleration.

Now, the things become complicated because the power requirement to achieve a given speed is your own leg power plus the motor power. Any Specialized e-bike can have its assistance set between 0 and 100% of the maximum Assist in 5% intervals. Let us compare apples to apples.
  • The 2.0 motor has the max Assist factor of 3.2x
  • The SL 1.2 motor has the max Assist of 2.1x
Meaning, you need to set the SL 2 assistance 3.2/2.1 = 1.52 times higher than for Vado 4.0.
  • A practical ECO Assist for the 2.0 motor is 40% or 0.4 * 3.2 = 1.28x. Your leg power is 1.0. Therefore, the total power is 1 + 1.28 = 2.28 x your leg power. You need 234 W, so your leg power needs to be 234 W/2.28 = 103 W
  • To achieve the same on Vado SL 2, you need to set the Assist to 0.4 * 1.52 = 0.61. You can set the assist to 60%. The SL 1.2 motor will produce 0.60 * 2.1 = 1.26x. The total power will be 1 + 1.26 = 2.26 x your leg power. You need 234 W, so your leg power will be 234 / 2.26 = 104 W.
The bottom line
If you intend to achieve the speed of 32 km/h on the flat in windless conditions, you need to produce 104 W leg power. The Vado 4.0 assistance will be 40% and Vado SL 2 4.0 assistance will be 60%.
In case you cannot produce 104 W leg power, you simply need to increase the assistance. Either e-bike can achieve 32 km/h at even lower leg power in TURBO. It is 56 W for Vado 4.0 or 75 W for Vado SL 2 4.0.

EDIT: I have corrected my calculations for the 2.0 motor that has the Max Assist of 3.2x. The data from July 4th 2025 07:03 CET are correct.

Vado 4.0 vs Vado SL 2 4.0
If you don't have steep hills on your routes, I would go for Vado SL 2, which is more a bicycle than an e-bike :) However, Vado SL 2 must be stored in a heated space for winters, while the Vado 4.0 battery is removable and can be taken indoors.
Click to expand...
Wow! thank you so much for this detailed explanation Stefan, are (or were) you a math teacher :)!

Good point about being in Canada, yes we have hills and yes, we have 5 to 6 months of cold winters. Storing is certainly a consideration, if I go with the SL then I'll need to convince my wife to make some room in our basement and that's her "craft and hobby" space.

I was able to test ride the SL2 6.0 Carbon EQ, I really liked it, it felt "fun" and almost tossable. The ride was short and not very hilly but it felt like I could reach the max speed fairly easily. I also rode the Vado 4.0 and that was nice too but I could definitely fell the extra weight, plenty fast though. The SL2 Carbon is their lightest bike and above my budget, not sure how the SL2 4.0 would compare, it is a bit heavier.

To be honest I'm also waiting to test ride a Trek Allant 7+ Gen2 which has an identical price to the Vado 4.0. A bit more torque with the Bosch but smaller battery. Components are very similar.
 
Simonsez said:
I was able to test ride the SL2 6.0 Carbon EQ, I really liked it, it felt "fun" and almost tossable. The ride was short and not very hilly but it felt like I could reach the max speed fairly easily. I also rode the Vado 4.0 and that was nice too but I could definitely fell the extra weight, plenty fast though. The SL2 Carbon is their lightest bike and above my budget, not sure how the SL2 4.0 would compare, it is a bit heavier.
Click to expand...
Your observations are totally correct! I only rode Vado SL 2 6.0 Carbon but I think 4 kg extra for the SL 4.0 is a lot. The big Vado has a characteristic of a commuter. You can feel you move the weight!

Simonsez said:
To be honest I'm also waiting to test ride a Trek Allant 7+ Gen2 which has an identical price to the Vado 4.0. A bit more torque with the Bosch but smaller battery. Components are very similar.
Click to expand...
Nothing beats the Specialized electronics :) Trust me :)
 
Last edited:
Stefan Mikes said:
Now, the things become complicated because the power requirement to achieve a given speed is your own leg power plus the motor power. Any Specialized e-bike can have its assistance set between 0 and 100% of the maximum Assist in 5% intervals. Let us compare apples to apples.
  • The 2.0 motor has the max Assist factor of 3.2x
  • The SL 1.2 motor has the max Assist of 2.1x
Meaning, you need to set the SL 2 assistance 3.2/2.1 = 1.52 times higher than for Vado 4.0
Click to expand...
One small correction: Per the Specialized document here, the 1.2 SL motor's assist factor is 2.3, not 2.1. This slightly reduces that ratio of 1.52.

While trying to find that document again, I came across another with a very cool video, right at the top, showing the "working principle" (internal workings) of the 1.2 SL motor when pedaling forward with and without assist and also when pedaling backward. An electromechanical marvel!

 
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