In the summer of 2025, Bafang surprised the industry with a unique electric drive system. The H730 combines a rear-wheel hub motor and a 3-speed gear system into a single unit. Now, with the new Volt Urban, one of the first ebikes in the world to feature this motor is being launched.
1. Urban, a typical Volt
2. A pioneer among city ebikes featuring the Bafang H730
3. Urban Volt with a great range and small weight
4. Inspired by its own product range
5. Good riding comfort and an unexpected charging option
6. Who is Volt?
1. Urban, a typical Volt
Since its foundation in 2010, Volt has grown from a small family-run business into one of the leading domestic ebike manufacturers in the UK. Initially, the range consisted mainly of folding ebikes and low-step ebikes. Since then, trekking ebikes and even a hardtail e-mountain bike have been added. Broadly speaking, Volt aims to offer mobility solutions for an urban setting that cost slightly less than the competition. The aim is to make them accessible to as many people as possible.
What the manufacturer specifically means by this can be seen in the recently unveiled Volt Urban. This city ebike does away with glitter and glamour. Instead, you get a model that requires very little maintenance, uses a reliable drive system and deliberately limits battery capacity in favour of a lighter weight and riding shorter distances. That said, it simply aims to be a practical bike. Volt is, after all, based in London. To stay with this analogy, one could say that the Urban exudes the charm of a working-class neighbourhood like the East End rather than the nobility of Mayfair.
2. A pioneer among city ebikes featuring the Bafang H730
This degree of honesty, however, does not mean sacrificing innovative technology. The best example of this is the electric drive featuring the Bafang H730. Last year, we examined this particular rear hub motor in more detail and predicted that urban ebikes would likely be among the first to feature it. Volt appears to rate its qualities similarly, with the automatic shifting of the three gears. Their gear ratios of 0.76, 1.0 and 1.31 are simply well-suited to riding in a city with only moderate inclines at most, where frequent stopping and starting is typical.
Unfortunately, we cannot say how well the gear changes work in practice. We lack the insights from a test ride with the system. However, with the integrated torque sensor, there is at least one important factor that, if tuned correctly, can ensure intuitive adaptation to your riding style. What is certain is that the integration of the motor and gearbox into the rear hub housing is likely to prove a major advantage, particularly in the finest of British rainy weather. Everything is wonderfully protected from the elements. Nothing can get dirty. And thanks to the combination with a carbon belt, there isn’t even a chain that requires regular maintenance.
3. Urban Volt with a great range and small weight
Given its continuous power output of 250 watts and maximum torque of 50 Newton-metres, the motor and gearbox unit should provide enough propulsion to accelerate you quickly to 25 kilometres per hour, at which point the motor assistance cuts out. The Bafang H730 draws the necessary power from a battery integrated into the down tube. This is manufactured by Panasonic and offers a capacity of 360 watt-hours. According to Volt, this results in ranges of up to 90 kilometres under ideal conditions. The battery can be removed from the side of the frame for charging.
However, alongside its practical advantages, Bafang’s solution also adds a certain amount of extra weight. After all, the unit weighs 3.6 kilograms. Nevertheless, at 19.5 kilograms, the Volt Urban remains just under the 20-kilogram mark. The Qwic Signal – a thoroughly comparable city ebike – does not manage this. And that’s despite the fact that, with its single-speed drivetrain, it doesn’t even have gears.
The Qwic Signal and Volt Urban both share an aluminium frame. On the latter ebike, some of the weld seams have even been ground down. This applies to prominent areas such as the head tube and seat tube.
4. Inspired by its own product range
The design of the Urban in the diamond-frame version is reminiscent of that of the Volt London. One striking feature, for example, is the seat tube typical of Volt, which starts narrow at the top and widens downwards towards the bottom bracket. The London was launched in 2022. It still featured a classic rear hub motor from Bafang. Despite being combined with a single-speed drivetrain, it weighed around three kilograms more than the Volt Urban. One reason for this is definitely its massive front luggage rack. Interestingly, at £2,399, the Volt London cost exactly the same back then as the new Volt Urban does now. That amounts to approximately 2,767 euros.
In addition to the diamond frame, there is also a low-step version of the Volt Urban. This is called the Volt Urban LS. The manufacturer offers both in a single frame size only – namely 19 inches. Presumably, this measurement refers to the length from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top edge of the seat tube. That works out to just over 48 centimetres. Unfortunately, Volt does not specify for people of what height this is recommended. Both the diamond frame and the low-step version are available in three colours: Grey, Light Blue and Sand.
5. Good riding comfort and an unexpected charging option
Given the price mentioned, it’s quite remarkable just how many useful features Volt has included in the Urban. Whilst you won’t find a suspension fork, you will find a suspension seat post. This not only absorbs vibrations to a certain extent whilst riding, but can also make getting on and off the ebike easier. Riding comfort is further enhanced by a stem that allows you to adjust how high it rises and, consequently, how far the handlebars are from the saddle. Given the standard frame size, this seems to us to be an important component that helps you find the desired position on the ebike.
To spot the USB-C port on the ebike display, you’ll need to look a bit more closely. You’ll find it on the right-hand side of the display. If the display is the Bafang DP C245.CAN, it charges smartphones, cycle computers and other mobile devices with an admittedly modest charging current of 500 milliamps. On the other hand, that’s better than nothing. Especially as you can attach your smartphone to the Quad-Lock mount on the stem.
James Metcalfe, co-founder of Volt, says of the new Urban that it has been “designed to make the daily commute something people genuinely enjoy – simple, fluid, and reliable from the first push on the pedal.” In our view, the chances are good that Volt Urban can live up to this claim.
Volt Urban at a glance
- Models: Volt Urban, Volt Urban LS
- Frame: Aluminium
- Frame size: 19 inches
- Motor: Bafang H730
- Battery: 360 Wh
- Control unit: n/a
- Display: LCD
- Brakes: Tektro Auriga E-Comp
- Weight: approx. 19.5 kg
- Maximum permitted total weight: n/a
- Colours: Grey, Light Blue, Sand
- Price: £2,399
6. Who is Volt?
The London-based brand Volt first appeared on the ebike market in 2010. The company is in no way affiliated with the Canadian manufacturer Volt Bikes, which shares a similar name. Volt prides itself on its British heritage and the fact that all its own model ranges are manufactured at its own factory in Milton Keynes.
Initially, the company positioned itself as a classic budget provider. Over the years, it has built up a large dealer network and steadily raised the standard of its own products. Almost inevitably, Volt models have been receiving increasingly prominent awards since 2020. In 2023, the British industry magazine BikeBiz named the brand ‘Brand of the Year’ in the micromobility sector. In the same year, TechRadar named Volt Infinity the best ebike. And in 2023, the Volt London was among the finalists in the “Best Electric Bike” category of the British lifestyle and technology magazine T3.
Pictures: Electric Bike Store Ltd.