Giant launches first 48-volt system for full-power e-mountain bikes

Giant has just unveiled its completely redesigned Reign Advanced E+ for the 2026 season. One of the most significant new features of this e-mountain bike is undoubtedly its new drive system. This is Giant’s first system with an operating voltage of 48 volts. In this article, you can find out what this system can do and in what ways it is superior to a 36-volt drive.

1. Why is Giant launching a 48-volt system in addition to the existing 36-volt system?
2. What is the difference between a 48-volt drive and a 36-volt drive?
3. Who is Giant’s 48-volt system suitable for?
4. Is the connection to the 48-volt standard in the automotive industry really an advantage?
5. What performance does the new Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 with 48 volts offer?
6. What ports does the new motor provide?
7. Which batteries and chargers are included with the new 48-volt system?
8. Giant ebikes featuring the 48-volt system

1. Why is Giant launching a 48-volt system in addition to the existing 36-volt system?

The manufacturer has completely redesigned the Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 motor, including all peripherals. The reason behind the switch from 36 volts to 48 volts is the belief that different ebikes for different purposes should also use different motors. This would be the best way to meet the respective expectations of ebike riders. After all, the drive on a lightweight city ebike, for example, requires completely different qualities than that on an e-cargo bike in terms of power, torque, responsiveness, energy consumption and weight. And, from Giant’s point of view, comparable subtleties also argue in favour of offering motors with different characteristics, even among e-mountain bikes.

2. What is the difference between a 48-volt drive and a 36-volt drive?

If increasing the voltage seems like a current trend among drive manufacturers to you, then it is at least one with good arguments. If the power of the ebike system remains the same and the voltage is increased, the current can be reduced at the same time. Giant, for example, talks about a 30 percent lower value. As a result, such a system generates significantly less heat. The maximum power can be maintained for a longer period of time and the overall efficiency increases. This pays off as soon as you use turbo mode for longer or generally put the motor under strain on extended climbs. At a voltage of 48 volts, the motor is significantly more reliable and durable in the upper limits.

Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 motor for Giant's 48-volt ebike system — Giant SyncDrive Pro 3

3. Who is Giant’s 48-volt system suitable for?

The characteristics of a 48 V system directly determine its suitable application. The more sporty your ebike riding style, the more suitable 48 volts will be for you. The decisive factor here is not primarily the torque. Giant focuses on peak power and cadence. From the manufacturer’s point of view, you are better off with a higher-voltage e-drive if you prefer high cadences and generate higher peak power at cadences above 90. On the other hand, if you feel comfortable with cadences of 50 revolutions per minute, you will achieve higher power output with a 36-volt system.

4. Is the connection to the 48-volt standard in the automotive industry really an advantage?

Giant answers this question with a resounding yes. No wonder. At its headquarters in Taichung, Taiwan, it is practically a direct neighbour of TSMC, the world’s largest chip manufacturer. This proximity has given rise to joint development projects as well as advantages in the sourcing of chips and processors.

Giant Energypak 560 intube battery for Giant's 48-volt ebike system — The Giant Energypak 560 can be removed from the bottom of the frame.

5. What performance does the new Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 with 48 volts offer?

In line with the developers’ approach, the new Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 does not necessarily impress with its torque. 90 Newton metres is slightly below what Bosch currently offers with the Performance Line CX, Qore with the Drive3 Peak and DJI with the Avinox. Its strong point is rather its impressive peak power of up to 800 watts and its assistance of up to 400 percent.

To help you realise this potential on the trails, up to six sensors automatically record your cadence and pedalling force as well as your speed and motor speed. The degree to which the motor should utilise its power in the respective riding modes can be set in the RideControl app.

The Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 now also features a launch control function. This allows acceleration to be controlled across a total of seven levels. Level 1 stands for maximum control, while level 7 means maximum aggressiveness. At low levels, the motor only reaches its full torque after up to 2.5 seconds. This can be helpful when the ground offers little traction. At the higher levels, it takes just a few milliseconds for the 90 Newton metres to really kick in.

6. What ports does the new motor provide?

Despite the changes mentioned above, the new Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 features the same ports you know from its predecessor. Lighting, various trackers, other existing products – all of these can be connected as usual via plug and play. This is where Giant plays its role as Yamaha’s premium partner. Giant can design the motor hardware supplied from Japan entirely according to its own specifications using connectors, interfaces and software and firmware developed in-house.

Charging port on the Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 ebike motor — With only three pins, the charging port on the Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 of the 48-volt system clearly differs from the sockets on Giant's other mid-drive motors.

Giant SyncDrive Pro 3 at a glance

Continuous rated power: 250 watts
Peak power: 800 watts
Assistance up to: 25 km/h
Torque: maximum 90 Nm
Max. assistance: 400 %
Weight: approx. 2.6 kg

7. Which batteries and chargers are included with the new 48-volt system?

Changing the operating voltage more or less creates a completely new drive system. This naturally also requires new batteries and chargers. For the time being, Giant is only presenting a single main battery – the Giant Energypak 560. According to the manufacturer, the battery, which can be integrated into the down tube, will always be installed as a removable version. This will also apply to all future batteries.

Don’t be fooled by the capacity of 560 watt hours. The high voltage and low current of the system ensure that the slightly smaller battery will still be good for longer ranges. Overall, its battery cells are expected to be less stressed by the 48-volt system, which may ultimately extend its service life. Giant expects the Energypak 560 to last for up to 2,300 full charge cycles.

The Giant Energypak 560 is not entirely on its own. After all, it is complemented by the Giant Energypak 280 range extender. Together, the two batteries deliver a total capacity of 840 watt hours. This should dispel any remaining range anxiety. At least, that is what the data collected and evaluated internally by Giant suggests. The manufacturer can track riding information anonymously via its own app. And these figures show that a capacity of around 600 watt hours is sufficient for 99 per cent of all rides. In order to correctly dimension its own battery, the manufacturer also looked in particular at the distances people rode and how many metres of elevation they covered.

Giant Energypak 280 range extender for Giant's 48-volt ebike system — The familiar Giant mounting plate is required to attach the additional battery.

The topic of batteries, range and charging is rounded off by a new charger: the Giant Smart Charger – 4A 48V. With it, you can charge the Giant Energypak 560 to a capacity of 80 percent in just two hours.