As someone who has ridden both systems and trying to build a startup based around Bosch system, I can share a few points
from my experience:
I will start with Bafang
- Even though a relatively new company in the world of E-bikes, they build thousands of hub motors for the Chinese market and have become a dominant player in the hub motor and after-market mid-drive systems.
Bafang had a shaky start into the E-bike market. Another company "Sunstar" (defunct now, just like BionX) was furious that Bafang simply stole their IP and started producing BBS-01. You can read some blurb here.
Sunstar Sues over Bafang infringement I wonder what this means to the many hobbyists using the Bafang kit. Not much? How about future parts availability? Or will this just be settled as a claim requesting lost revenue reimbursement?
endless-sphere.com
- Their first gen BBS-01 and BBS-2 had a lot of problems, controllers would burn down and other issues. Until, better MOSFETS were introduced in 2015. Read more here:
Bafang has finally decided that their P75NF75 mosfets on the 750 Watt BBS02 are grossly inadequate for the 1200 Watts that they allow to flow through the controller when it is cranked on. It sounds…
electricbike-blog.com
- They enjoyed some success because BBS-02 was able to combine the benefits of mid-drive gearing, provide decent power and being able to bolt-on to any bicycle system and relatively affordable price.
In the US market, companies like LunaCycle marketed them heavily and the later iterations was well received. Many of the controller issues were resolved.
- Their biggest issue until that point was the lack of torque sensing. They would tout the ability to install it on any bike as a positive but then they had to adapt to the market and bring in a torque sensing motor.
Features and Performance of the ultra
If you look at them from the perspective of power alone, the motors are quite powerful but it lacks the finesse, engineering meticulousness.
- It is a very powerful motor and the armature is double the size and mass of most other mid-drives like Yamaha or Bosch.
- The torque sensing sub-par and the features are average. The motors don't have shift detection and the gear sensors are made by someone else.
Just look at the number of displays they have had and it lacks a sense of cohesion and planning.
- Anyone with a Alibaba account can purchase them from a wide range of sellers on Alibaba
Bafang Ultra M620 System Mm G510.1000 48v 1000w Torque Sensor Powerful Electric Bicycle Mid Drive Motor With Color Lcd - Buy Mm G510 Mid Drive Motor,48v 1000w Torque Sensor Electric Bicycle Motor,C965 Lcd Display Product on Alibaba.com
www.alibaba.com
- They are unwilling to test their product to UL standards, maintain QC and provide long term support and that has made them a no-go candidate among OEM's like Trek, CUBE, Specialized, Giant etc.
It lacks robust communication protocol and the controller/sensor unit is not upto the standards that most OEM's require. This puts liability risk on OEMs. All it takes is one recall and you could lose millions of dollars.
Giant is one of the largest bike manufacturers in the world and a stone's throw away from Bafang but they refuse to use Bafang M350 or M500 or the ultra but instead chose to go with Yamaha. That is weird.
Support and parts availability
This is where I had trouble being able to understand their company's vision and philosophy. They change stuff so often that even OEM will be caught off-guard and it can be very frustrating for an OEM.
Bafang has no US presence and there is not one stationed personnel that provides service or parts warranty. OEMs and sellers have to take it up as their own responsibility.
Their product philosophy is very different and they really don't care. Because the E-bike market is exploding everywhere,their success has made them blind to certain things.
My point is not to disparage them but from the perspective of a startup, there are the things I have to think through before investing tens of thousands of dollars.
Let's move to Bosch
Bosch has a LONG engineering history. They literally invented the CANBUS protocol that is now used in all cars. Their automotive division is HUGE and along with it comes nasty issues like the involvement in Volkswagen scandal. Nevertheless, every single car in America has several components made by Bosch. They utilized that strength to build E-bike motors.
- Bosch entry to the US market was late (2014) and through a German company called Haibike. Back in 2014, the market was so nascent and the manufacturer were few and far between. Even Trek used BionX hub motors in their lineup. But, Bosch quickly realized the opportunity in the space and spent millions of $$ of R&D into their products. Their motors don't have 1000W of raw power but you can tell, for the most part, it is engineered well.
They spend hundreds of thousands of $$ to ensure all their motor, battery components are certified to high safety standards. UL certification costs upwards of $60,000+ for 1 item and it is a lengthy process.
- Their Gen 1 motors were big and noisy. Folks in Germany used to call them "coffee grinder" machines.
- Later in 2014, they introduced their performance line and the E-bike market took off. Their Gen 2 motors were a big improvement
- For many customers in the US, given the commute distances, this was not an ideal motor. But, it provides more than adequate power in a very controller fashion.
But as more companies started getting into the space with lighter, better motors like the Shimano E8000 and Yamaha PW-X.
Bosch was not the sole leader anymore and their motors had a lot of room for improvement.
Where Bosch really shines is their product roadmap, support, parts availability and their engineering wherewithal. I have experienced both Bafang and Bosch support process and Bosch is leagues ahead of Bafang.
Their new Gen 4 motors are quite good in every way. The whole system works seamlessly and it better be for the money it costs!
If you are looking for a powerful motor, then Bosch may not be the best choice. If you are looking for a motor with excellent features, moderate power and very good support, then Bosch certainly is one.
In a world where you could import Bafang powered E-bikes from China for half the cost, I chose to go the other way and invest my money into this because I know Bosch is playing the long game and they are in it for the long haul.
