Bosch Surprises with Its Ebike Novelties for 2027 and Its First Hub Motor, the Hub Line

With a long-established player in the ebike industry like Bosch, one might consider it to have seen and experienced it all. Yet, far from it. Although the manufacturer has been on the market since 2010. But for the 2027 season, it is venturing into territory that is completely new to it. Bosch will be manufacturing a rear wheel hub motor in future. And the new Bosch Hub Line is accompanied by further novelties that you will mainly see on upcoming urban ebikes.

1. First-ever rear wheel motor – Bosch Hub Line (BDU306Y)
2. Bosch Active Line Plus (BDU344Y) now lighter and more powerful
3. PowerTube 360: new slim intube battery from Bosch
4. Greater choice of long-range batteries thanks to Bosch PowerTube 720
5. New Bosch LED Controller to replace LED Remote in future
6. Bosch Intuvia 200 display: easier to read, but no longer portable
7. Bosch introducing frame mounting for the ConnectModule for the 2027 season

1. First-ever rear wheel motor – Bosch Hub Line (BDU306Y)

Bosch and mid-drive motors – until now, they’ve gone together like uphill and flow. Just a few weeks ago, large parts of the motor range saw a massive boost in technical performance thanks to the Performance Upgrade 2.0. Now, with the manufacturer’s very first hub motor, a system is emerging that few of you would have seen coming. “With our new features related to the Hub Line, we are ushering in a new era of urban E-Bikes. They are not only light and agile and excite with a clear and modern design language, but also revolutionize the riding experience in the city,” says Claus Fleischer, CEO of Bosch eBike Systems.

Ok. So just how revolutionary is this rear hub motor? Among other things, a modern hub motor should be as compact and lightweight as possible. In this respect, the Hub Line certainly has some strong points. Encased in a black aluminium housing, it measures 100 millimetres in diameter, according to the manufacturer. Its weight is stated as approximately 2.3 kilograms. At first glance, that sounds a bit heavy. The weight of a Mahle X20 is just 1.4 kilograms. However, Mahle excludes the freewheel from this figure. Therefore, the comparison falls a little short at this point. Nevertheless, Bosch probably can’t quite match its competitor here.

Aimed at a broad target group

However, when looking at power and torque, this picture changes. With peak power of up to 400 watts and a maximum torque of 45 Newton-metres, the Hub Line clearly outperforms the X20. The latter achieves just 275 watts and 27 Newton-metres. The reason for the difference is likely to be a different market focus. Mahle takes a very sporty approach and aims to keep the assistance relatively low. This is intended to attract accordingly fit potential buyers of e-road bikes and e-gravel bikes. Bosch, on the other hand, is clearly committed to urban ebikes. Here, the target audience is much more diverse and would like to feel a noticeable boost from the motor.

The formula for riding modes is four out of seven

We expect the riding experience with the new Hub Line to be of the high standard for which Bosch has been known for years. The conditions for this seem to be in place. The motor system includes two sensors. The first is the cadence sensor. Mounted on the bottom bracket, it measures cadence using a disc integrated into the crank. The second sensor is a position sensor. This is located in the control unit, which is hidden within the frame. So you’re unlikely to ever see it.

Thanks to these two sensors, the motor detects how fast you’re pedalling and whether you’re currently riding your ebike uphill, downhill or on flat terrain. It adjusts its assistance based on this information. As usual, you can control this yourself using the various riding modes. Ebike manufacturers can choose from the following seven assistance levels for their respective ebikes:

• Auto
• Eco
• Limit
• Sport
• Sprint
• Tour
• Turbo

Four of these can be used in practice later on – plus the obligatory Off mode. The specific riding modes Cargo and Race are excluded from the equation. These are strictly linked to the Bosch Cargo Line and the Bosch Performance Line CX-R respectively. Furthermore, the automatic riding modes eMTB, eMTB+, Eco+ and Tour+ cannot be implemented. For these, the motor would require a torque sensor.

However, it will always be possible to combine the system with the electronic derailleur and Bosch’s eShift function. As usual, you can choose to shift gears manually or leave it to the automatic system.

Connector on the frame instead of an interface on the hub

When integrating the system into the ebike, Bosch has sought to find the simplest possible solution. This is designed, for example, to make it easier for you to fit and remove the rear wheel should you ever need to change a tyre. Ultimately, the decision was made to use a connector, which Bosch has routed as a cable along the chainstay to the non-drive side. Before removing the rear wheel, you simply pull out the connector and can then remove the wheel as usual. In our view, Mahle’s implementation with the connector directly on the X20’s hub looks more elegant. Perhaps the simpler design will ultimately bring the Hub Line’s retail price down a little.

Really smart, but limited in range

A major advantage of this new model is the fact that it becomes part of a system environment that is currently still considered the gold standard among ebike systems. By integrating into the Smart System, the Bosch Hub Line immediately gains access to both most of the hardware and most of the digital functions available in the ebike system. From eBike Lock, through Battery Lock and eBike Alarm, right up to reporting the ebike as stolen and everything else on offer – it’s all part of the package. Together with one of the most advanced apps on the market, where over-the-air updates have been standard for some time now. Admittedly, this is unrivalled.

We have, however, identified one drawback with the new hub motor. This concerns the combination with the batteries. This is limited to energy storage units with a maximum capacity of 600 watt-hours. In concrete terms, this means that with the PowerPacks for installation on the down tube, those for installation on the rear rack and the PowerTubes, there are a total of nine options available. Their capacity ranges from 400 watt-hours to 600 watt-hours.

Bosch + Universal Transmissions = Surprise

Alongside these facts relating solely to the Hub Line, there is an additional innovation that is directly linked to the motor but is not limited to it alone. We are talking about a collaborative project in which Bosch has worked together with Universal Transmissions. Both companies have contributed to a gear-shifting solution that combines a two-speed gearbox with the hub motor. Under its new UTgear brand, Universal Transmissions is responsible for the actual gearbox. The UTgear H2, featuring two gear ratios, can be fitted directly onto the freehub body, which is also used by the hub motor. The result is an ebike with a hub motor and a two-speed gearbox. Gear ratios of 1.0 and 1.4 were selected for the two gears.

Bosch has supported the project and agreed with UTgear that a Shimano HG is currently the only compatible freehub body. The combination of the Bosch Hub Line and the UTgear H2 is therefore the one that works seamlessly right from the start. For UTgear, the advantage of this solution is that it can, of course, also be adapted to work with other rear-wheel hub motors, provided they are compatible with the aforementioned freehub.

With Vello, Kalkhoff and Kreidler, the first brands are already using the system.

Bosch Hub Line BDU306Y at a glance

• Continuous rated power: 250 watts
• Peak power: up to 400 watts
• Assistance up to: 25 km/h
• Torque: maximum 45 Nm
• Variants: derailleur
• Weight: approx. 2.3 kg

2. Bosch Active Line Plus (BDU344Y) now lighter and more powerful

Whilst we are seeing a completely new face with the Hub Line, another motor is being promoted to full membership of the Bosch Smart System. We are referring to the Bosch Active Line Plus. The manufacturer had already integrated it into the new generation of motors for the 2024 season. Now, however, it is being fitted with various components already used in other motors, significantly enhancing the revised version now being introduced.

One new feature of the Active Line Plus, for example, is the two-point mounting for the motor. This is a common feature across all current models. It ensures that ebike manufacturers can work with a uniform standard on the frame, to which any Bosch motor can be attached.

Clever reuse of proven technology

The Active Line Plus inherits the dual-stage gearbox used in motors such as the Bosch Performance Line and the Bosch Performance Line PX. In addition to the mechanical benefits, this results in a more compact housing. Bosch estimates that the volume has been reduced by 17 per cent. Furthermore, the chainring mount and the ISIS axle, which are used in the Bosch Performance Line CX, for example, have been adopted. The same applies to seals and bearings.

Overall, the weight of the mid-drive motor has been reduced by approximately 500 grams to around 2.7 kilograms. At the same time, torque has increased by ten Newton-metres to a new maximum of 60 Newton-metres. Continuous power, peak power and assistance levels, however, remain unchanged.

An important factor in the context of city ebikes is that the improved Active Line Plus can still be combined with a coaster brake. In certain regions, such as northern Germany or parts of Denmark, this brake remains very popular. It is also a bonus that the motor now supports the eShift function.

Bosch Active Line Plus BDU344Y at a glance

• Continuous rated power: 250 watts
• Peak power: up to 600 watts
• Assistance up to: 25 km/h
• Torque: maximum 60 Nm
• Max. assistance: 340%
• Variants: hub and derailleur gears
• Weight: approx. 2.7 kg

3. PowerTube 360: new slim intube battery from Bosch

In the quote at the start of the article, Claus Fleischer spoke of an agile riding experience. How lively an ebike feels when riding depends, among other things, on how heavy it is. The low weight of the Bosch Hub Line is designed to achieve this. On its own, however, it won’t bring the bike’s total weight down to around 18 or 19 kilograms. Combined with a lightweight ebike battery, the chances of achieving this are significantly better.

With the CompactTube 400, Bosch actually already has a suitable candidate in its range. Apparently, though, that wasn’t enough. Weighing around 2.1 kilograms, the new Bosch PowerTube 360 is almost just as light, but takes up less space in the down tube. With a diagonal length of around 85 millimetres, it is slimmer than any other intube battery from the manufacturer. This makes it easier for ebike manufacturers to design equally slim frames.

Light and shorter, or heavier and longer?

Based on a capacity of 360 watt-hours, Bosch promises ranges of over 80 kilometres with the PowerTube 360. For city commuting, that’s a figure some of you will certainly find useful. Others might be pleased to hear that, thanks to the DualBattery option, the battery can be combined with additional batteries on the ebike. If you still don’t want the ebike to be too heavy, the Bosch PowerMore 250 is the obvious first choice.

Bosch only produces one version of the smallest intube battery. This means there is no distinction between horizontal or vertical. However, ebike manufacturers can fit it as either a removable version or a permanently integrated one.

You can expect a full charge to take just over three hours with a 4A charger.

Bosch PowerTube 360 at a glance

• Capacity: 360 watt-hours
• Weight: 2.1 kilograms
• Dimensions: 423 mm x 63 mm x 58 mm
• Compatible with DualBattery: yes

4. Greater choice of long-range batteries thanks to Bosch PowerTube 720

We cannot predict which ebikes manufacturers will fit with the new Bosch PowerTube 720, or at what price, rather than opting for a Bosch PowerTube 600 or PowerTube 800. The only thing that is certain is that they will have this choice for the 2027 season. With a capacity of 720 watt-hours, Bosch’s second new battery slots in exactly between these two. Yes, the PowerTube 750 is still available too. However, its casing is significantly longer than that of the other two. And the 720 battery follows exactly in their footsteps. Along with the new Bosch PowerTube 360. And the PowerTube 540. This means there are now five PowerTube batteries of identical length. You can see where this is heading? Exactly. As the length and mounts are identical, you can easily swap them between ebikes. Provided, of course, that the ebike manufacturer has prepared the frame accordingly.

Its weight of 3.9 kilograms suggests that Bosch is using different cells in the PowerTube 720 than in the PowerTube 800. The latter weighs exactly the same, after all. Consequently, there must be differences inside. What they have in common is that they are both removable and can be permanently integrated, and can be fitted as horizontal or vertical versions.

With an estimated maximum range of 185 kilometres, the PowerTube 720 is in a completely different league compared to the PowerTube 360. Understandably, this results in a longer charging time. A full charge takes around six hours with a 4A charger.

Bosch PowerTube 720 at a glance

• Capacity: 720 watt-hours
• Weight: 3.9 kilograms
• Dimensions: 424 mm x 77 mm x 71 mm
• Compatible with DualBattery: yes

5. New Bosch LED Controller to replace LED Remote in future

Unlike the new products presented so far, the next one is suitable for every conceivable ebike featuring a Bosch drive. A new control unit will replace the LED Remote from the 2027 model year onwards. Its successor is called the Bosch LED Controller.

Even at first glance, it is clear what it is designed to do better than the LED Remote. Smaller and more compact is the motto. The LED aspect takes a back seat. Instead, the ease of access to all buttons plays a greater role. Bosch has once again sought advice from SQLab on the ergonomic design. The two companies had already collaborated on the first control unit for the Smart System.

Familiar functions, new layout

The result is a component whose logic is noticeably in line with its predecessor. You’ll recognise an on/off switch at the top of the front panel, if you like. The plus and minus buttons on the long side facing you stand out more prominently than before. They offer the familiar dual function: activating the ebike lights via the plus button and engaging the walk assist via the minus button. A single press of the plus or minus buttons allows you to switch between assistance levels.

To the right of the large button with plus and minus, the confirmation button, with its familiar square symbol, has found its new home. Below it sits a new toggle switch. It takes over the functions previously handled by the left and right arrow buttons on the LED Remote. As soon as the LED Controller is combined with a display, you can use the toggle switch to scroll through the screens.

Important colour signals

The large LED from the previous model has been replaced by a significantly smaller one. Shaped like a mirrored capital L, its colour continues to indicate the currently selected riding mode. To the right of it, on a sloping surface, it also lights up twice. The larger lower LED is intended to represent a battery cell. If you look very closely and use a bit of imagination, you’ll recognise it. More important than the outline, however, is the colour of the LED. It informs you of the remaining capacity of the ebike battery. This works according to the following pattern:

• green = 100% to 50% charged
• yellow = 49% to 30% charged
• orange = 29% to 10% charged
• red = 9% to 1% charged
• red flashing = less than 1% charged

And the tiny triangular LED above the battery indicator lights up if the ebike features an anti-lock braking system and the brake assist is actively engaged.

Control unit becomes a charging station

According to Bosch, the LED Controller is around 65 per cent smaller than the LED Remote. This makes it all the more astonishing that the manufacturer has managed to incorporate a feature that significantly enhances its practical utility. Hidden beneath a small rubber cover on the top right-hand side is, in fact, a USB-C port. Workshops use this to connect the ebike system to Bosch’s diagnostic tool. You, however, can use it to charge a mobile device whilst riding – a smartphone, bike computer, power bank, whatever. And with a charging power of up to ten watts. That’s noticeably more than with the vertical SmartphoneGrip.

The LED Controller itself draws its power from the ebike battery. The energy is stored in a separate battery within the control unit. This can be replaced should it become necessary after several years. The control unit can remain on the ebike.

When attaching it to the handlebars, Bosch now uses a closed clamp. If you ever want to remove the LED Controller from the handlebars, you must therefore first remove the handle.

6. Bosch Intuvia 200 display: easier to read, but no longer portable

The new Bosch Intuvia 200 could, for example, become a companion to the LED Controller. As the name suggests, this ebike display is the successor to the Intuvia 100. Despite the higher number in its name, its screen has become slightly smaller. The diagonal has dropped from 2.5 inches to 2.4 inches. The casing will also be more compact in future.

The quality of the display is unlikely to suffer as a result. Quite the opposite. Bosch uses a special type of TFT screen and refers to it as a greyscale display. In the images included in the press release, numbers and letters appear much easier to read. Especially as the display automatically adjusts its brightness to the ambient conditions thanks to a dedicated sensor. On the Intuvia 100, however, you have to adjust the brightness manually across five levels yourself. And the predecessor doesn’t feature the selectable dark mode either.

Fixed position on the handlebars

In return, you’ll need to adjust to using the display a little. The new Bosch Intuvia 200 can no longer be removed. Instead, the display and mount form a single unit. People who like to remove their display for safety reasons, particularly during longer periods of parking or when leaving the bike outdoors overnight, will regret this. However, as the display could not be used as a key in the eBike Lock function anyway, there is at least no disadvantage in this respect.

In addition, Bosch is moving away from the wireless concept for the display. On the Intuvia 200, however, the manufacturer uses two HMI cables. One connects it to the essential control unit, the second to the ebike motor. The corresponding ports on the underside of the display face vertically downwards rather than horizontally forwards and backwards, as is the case with the display mounts for the Kiox 300, Kiox 500 and SmartphoneGrip. This makes it much easier to plug in and unplug the cables. Further advantages of this solution include power being supplied directly via the ebike system and the elimination of the need for a separate app to install updates. This can now be done as usual via the Bosch eBike Flow app.

Display features simple screens

Bosch has fixed part of the display on the screen. In the upper section, the battery charge level, current riding mode, time and speed are displayed by default across two lines. If the ebike uses electronic gear shifting, the speed is replaced by the gear indicator.

To the left of the main screen area, a bar shows how much of your own pedalling effort is assisting the ebike system. The lower section is defined as screens across the entire width. You can display one piece of information on each of up to five screens. The limited space simply doesn’t allow for more. You can select what you want to see there directly on the display. There’s no need to use the app for this.

Bosch Intuvia 200 at a glance

• Screen size: diagonal approx. 2.4”
• Colour display: no
• Dimensions: approx. 69 mm x 51 mm x 23 mm
• Weight: approx. 40 g
• Protection: IP55 protected against dust and water jets
• Brightness control: yes
• Alert tones: no
• Navigation: no
• Operation: via control unit

7. Bosch introducing frame mounting for the ConnectModule for the 2027 season

A final minor update concerns the Bosch ConnectModule. Bosch’s GPS tracker, featuring a mobile communications module and integrated motion sensors, stands out in a revised version with two key improvements. Firstly, data can now be transmitted via Bluetooth Low Energy technology. This increases the precision when determining the ebike’s location. Bosch promises that an ebike equipped with this system can be located to within a few metres, even in basements and backyards.

Secondly, there is a mount for the new ConnectModule. This allows you to attach it to the outside of the ebike at the mounting points usually intended for bottle cages and other accessories. The manufacturer aims to make it easier for you to retrofit the ebike system with the GPS tracker. Until now, installation has focused exclusively on integration beneath the motor cover. This isn’t possible on every ebike with every Bosch motor. Essentially, the Bosch Performance Line SX and the Bosch Performance Line Speed are already ruled out here. For ebikes with these motors, you’ve previously had to get creative and, for example, look for a suitable spot within the frame to house the components. The new mount offers a helpful alternative. It would also be suitable, for example, for ebikes featuring the new Bosch Hub Line.

Pictures: Bosch eBike Systems; Elektrofahrrad24 GmbH