The next round in the battle between Bosch and Avinox. That’s how one might describe Bosch’s Performance Update 2.0. A bit of an exaggeration, certainly. But some ebike riders will see the current boost in torque and assistance for selected Smart System motors as just that. Find out exactly what’s behind the boost for Bosch’s e-drives, which motors it applies to, and how the update is carried out.
1. What’s behind the Bosch Performance Update 2.0?
2. Which Bosch motor is getting the 120 Nm update?
3. Which Bosch motor receives the maximum 600 per cent assistance?
4. Bosch caught between pressure from Amflow and maintaining the status quo for pedelecs
5. Pros and cons of the 120 Newton metres
6. How to update your Bosch ebike to 120 Newton metres
7. When will the 120 Nm update from Bosch be available?
1. What’s behind the Bosch Performance Update 2.0?
Let’s start with the plain facts. At the Bike Festival in Riva del Garda, Bosch presented its Performance Update 2.0 for the Smart System. Rumours that the manufacturer wanted to give its motors more power had already been circulating on various forums and YouTube channels since early 2026. Now it’s official. The Bosch Performance Line CX and other motors from the current generation are getting a significant boost. Torque increases from 100 Newton-metres to 120 Newton-metres. At the same time, maximum assistance rises from 400 per cent to 600 per cent.
However, the improved performance figures do not represent any structural changes to the motors. In both cases – for both torque and assistance – a firmware update is responsible for the increase. This means that the motors’ dimensions, weight and other technical specifications remain identical to the previous specifications. Replacing the motors or waiting for new ebikes with these new motors is therefore off the stove.
2. Which Bosch motor is getting the 120 Nm update?
As expected, the Bosch Performance Line CX tops the list of motors that will be able to achieve a torque of 120 Newton metres in future thanks to the Performance Update 2.0. On the one hand, it is likely to be the Bosch ebike motor with the widest global reach. Secondly, it powers the type of ebike – primarily e-mountain bikes – for which this increase in agility is primarily intended. From this perspective, a motor such as the Bosch Performance Line CX R, introduced in 2025 – the sportiest model in Bosch’s line-up – naturally cannot be left out. And it isn’t. 😉
The third motor in the bunch is the Bosch Cargo Line. This choice also seems entirely logical. After all, it is found in e-cargo bikes, which generally have a higher vehicle weight to begin with. And the higher torque will prove particularly useful when fully loaded.
These will therefore be the three motors within the Bosch Smart System offering 120 Nm:
- Bosch Performance Line CX – BDU384Y
- Bosch Performance Line CX R – BDU386Y
- Bosch Cargo Line – BDU384Y
Bosch Performance Line CX – BDU384Y
Bosch Cargo Line – BDU384Y
Bosch Performance Line CX R – BDU386Y
3. Which Bosch motor receives the maximum 600 per cent assistance?
On top of the higher torque, the latest Bosch Performance Line CX, Bosch Cargo Line and Bosch Performance Line CX R models also offer six times your own pedalling power. But that’s not all. Bosch is also extending the luxury of 600 per cent peak assistance to their respective direct predecessor models. These are the Bosch Performance Line CX, Bosch Cargo Line and Bosch Performance Line CX Race, sometimes referred to as Bosch Gen.4.
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly for some, the Bosch Performance Line PX receives the higher level of assistance as well. Originally, the motor was considered a candidate for trekking ebikes, touring ebikes and urban ebikes. However, manufacturers such as Norco are now also fitting e-mountain bikes with it. This, in turn, fits perfectly into the picture.
Important limitation: You can only increase your pedal power by up to six times your own output at speeds of up to 15 kilometres per hour. If you ride any faster, the system reverts to the previous maximum – for example, 400 per cent.
This brings the total to seven motors offering up to 600 per cent assistance:
- Bosch Performance Line CX – BDU384Y
- Bosch Performance Line CX R – BDU386Y
- Bosch Cargo Line – BDU384Y
- Bosch Performance Line CX – BDU374Y
- Bosch Performance Line CX Race – BDU376Y
- Bosch Cargo Line – BDU374Y
- Bosch Performance Line PX – BDU347Y
Exemplary model updates from Bosch
What we find astonishing here is that Bosch has extended the Performance Update 2.0 to older motors as well. After all, some of these have been in use for as long as five years. Many who ride with them are likely to be delighted by this noticeable extra boost. Compared to the jump to 120 Newton metres, the 600 per cent assistance is perhaps even the more valuable change brought by this update. The additional boost is not linked to a specific torque level and can be set as a new upper limit for the relevant riding modes using the eBike Flow app. So you’ll feel it in every riding situation.
A simple calculation clearly illustrates the gain from the jump from 400 per cent to 600 per cent. Let’s assume you generate 80 watts of power whilst pedalling. In Auto mode, the motor previously quadrupled this power. So you’d end up cruising along at 320 watts. After the update, the same input power will yield 480 watts. You’ll definitely feel the difference.
Identifying your ebike’s motor
If you’re wondering which motor is fitted to your ebike and which new settings you can use, a quick look in the Bosch eBike Flow app will clear things up. To do this, simply go to the ebike’s settings from the home screen. Under ‘Components’, you’ll find the ‘Drive Unit’ listed. Clicking on it will show you the motor designation, including the relevant BDU number.
Update not available?
However, the ebike manufacturer may have put a final spanner in the works regarding the update. Sometimes they limit the model’s maximum power ex-works. The reason for this is usually other components fitted, the wear and tear of which they wish to prevent. This applies in particular to ebikes with hub gears.
If the update includes your ebike’s motor, you can potentially use the 600 per cent assistance in the following five riding modes:
- Auto
- Turbo
- eMTB+
- Race
- Cargo
As a side note: the peak power of the respective motors remains unchanged. For the Bosch Performance Line CX and the Bosch Performance Line CX R, for example, this means the familiar 750 watts. The International Cycling Union (UCI) also sets this value as the upper limit for racing with e-mountain bikes.
4. Bosch caught between pressure from Amflow and maintaining the status quo for pedelecs
In a racing series such as the Enduro World Cup EDR or the UCI E-Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup, an e-mountain bike with an Avinox drive – whether the older Avinox M1 or the current Avinox M2 or Avinox M2S – would therefore not be permitted to start. Their peak power of 1,000 watts and above would simply be too much.
For in-store or online sales, however, motor power is one of the most compelling arguments when comparing with an ebike fitted with a Bosch drive. The market leader has long been aware of this feedback. With the Performance Update 2.0, Bosch is attempting to keep the gap within limits.
Will pedelecs soon no longer be classified as bicycles?
Perhaps the company could even close the gap further from a technical standpoint. However, this would open up a gap elsewhere – namely, when it comes to not overdoing the race for ever-higher figures for power, torque and assistance. At Bosch – and not just there – there are fears that, if this trend continues, the European Union will sooner or later no longer recognise pedelecs as having the character of cycling. This could result in them being removed from the list of EPACs (Electrically Power Assisted Cycles) not subject to type approval. That would put the pedelec on a par with the speed pedelec. Banned on cycle paths, in the woods anyway, any modification to the bike compared to its condition at the time of purchase requiring type approval, assistance reduced to 400 per cent – all these would be possible consequences.
Bosch is already treading a fine line with its arguments here. In July 2025, Claus Fleischer, Managing Director of Bosch eBike Systems, described 6-fold assistance – i.e. 600 per cent – in an interview with the online magazine Heise as an extreme that “actually only plays a role for heavy cargo bikes weighing over 300 kilograms and mountain bikers who would prefer to ride a cross bike in the woods.” It is precisely this extreme that Bosch is now making available.
5. Pros and cons of the 120 Newton metres
If we set aside the political dimension of the update for a moment, there are several reasons both for and against riding with such a powerful drive. We can think of four arguments that tip the balance in favour of the pros:
- Sporting ambition: The pursuit of best times or, more generally, of one’s personal best motivates many. More torque could mean fewer seconds.
- Extremely challenging terrain: When the going gets particularly steep or technically demanding, an extra 20 Newton-metres might mean you don’t have to put a foot down, but can master a section where you’ve always struggled before.
- Psychological effect: Especially on unfamiliar terrain or after a long break, knowing the bike’s enormous capabilities lowers your heart rate. You feel ready for anything and set off on your rides feeling relaxed.
- Special case electric cargo bikes: With this type of ebike, the stronger assistance and higher torque directly enhance the riding experience. For this use case, developments such as Bosch’s Performance Update 2.0 seem, in our view, uncontroversial.
At the same time, more power is not a recommended solution for every riding situation and all ebike riders. After all, the list of ‘side effects’ is not insignificant:
- Increased wear and tear: Over time, you’ll notice that the power also takes its toll in places you might not immediately expect. Chains, sprockets, chainrings and tyres will need replacing sooner.
- Reduced range: The extra energy for the increased power has to come from somewhere. Usually, this will be the ebike battery. The more often you push the motor to its maximum, the faster the battery capacity drops and the shorter your ride will be.
- Risk of overheating: It’s no coincidence that the boost mode on the Avinox M2 and Avinox M2S, for example, is limited to six minutes. After that, the motors simply need a break. Bosch places great emphasis on thermal management in its power units. However, even this manufacturer cannot work miracles.
- Sufficient riding skill: More power only brings benefits if it is controllable – or, in this case, if you are in control of it. As the rider, you tell the ebike what to do. This means that your skills must develop in parallel with technical advancements, or already be sufficiently advanced beforehand.
6. How to update your Bosch ebike to 120 Newton metres
As with Bosch’s Performance Update 1.0 from 2025, all you need to do is update the Bosch eBike Flow app for the Smart System. This time, however, the process involves a few more steps. At the end, you’ll manually enable the higher torque for each individual riding mode, at your own discretion. You can find out exactly how this works in the article on the other new features in the update to the Bosch eBike Flow app version 1.35.
7. When will the 120 Nm update from Bosch be available?
According to Bosch, the update will be released on 4 May 2026 and made available for download in the relevant online stores. As mentioned, this is all part of a switch to a new version of the Bosch eBike Flow app.
Pictures: Bosch eBike Systems; Elektrofahrrad24 GmbH