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New Bosch SX light e-motor, new batteries, displays and new software – the new additions to the Bosch Smart System for 2024

19.06.2023
by Mike Hunger

Bosch are expanding the Smart System for MY 2024. Not only has the German manufacturer introduced new motors and batteries, but also introduced new hardware and software intended to make the Smart System more attractive for bike manufacturers, shops and riders. Here’s the most important news for you.

Motor upgrades and a new addition to the Bosch Smart System family – The new Bosch Performance Line SX light ebike motor.

Bosch started the summer with a bang, introducing their first ever light ebike motor. The Performance SX tips the scales at just under 2 kg and delivers 55 Nm of torque, with a peak output of up to 600 watts. The new motor was designed to offer high performance at a low weight, and is suitable for a wide range of applications and different types of bikes, from gravel bikes to urban bikes and light eMTBs. We tested the new Performance Line SX in the European trail mecca of Finale Ligure and to find out what it’s capable of.

The new Bosch Performance Line SX was developed to cover a wide range of applications and bikes, from gravel to lightweight E-MTBs.
We’ve already tested the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor for you.

Starting this summer, the Smart System family will have two new members, the Active Line and Active Line Plus drive units, which are supposed to be the quietest motors in Bosch’s extensive portfolio. Both were developed for relaxed cruising in urban areas, which is partly due to the innovative sensor concept they employ. From autumn 2023, there will also be a new eShift electronic shifting system, which was designed to facilitate gear shifts, with the Smart System ensuring optimal shifting conditions at all times. For the time being, the eShift system will be compatible exclusively with Rohloff, 3X3 and Enviolo drivetrains.

Bosch’s new Smart System batteries and range extender

Bosch also expanded their range of compatible Smart System batteries, adding the new 400 Wh CompactTube 400 to the lineup, which currently consists of three variants with 750 Wh, 625 Wh and 500 Wh capacity, respectively. The CompactTube 400 was designed around the new Performance Line SX motor and weighs 2 kg, bringing the total weight of the new Bosch Performance Line SX drive system to just under 4 kg. Finally we’ll be able to see the first lightweight ebikes with a Bosch motor, from eMTBs to e-road and city ebikes. The German manufacturer has also introduced the new PowerMore 250 range extender, which is compatible with all Smart System batteries and, as the name suggests, provides an additional 250 Wh capacity. The bidon-sized range extender can be secured directly to the bottle cage mounts with a bracket and weighs an additional 1.6 kg. Alongside their integrated batteries and range extender, Bosch have also presented a new frame battery, the PowerPack 400 Frame, and two rack batteries, the PowerPack 400 Rack and PowerPack 500 Rack. The rack batteries are slimmer than their predecessors and were designed with theft protection in mind. All new Smart System batteries can be combined with each other and used with DualBattery setups, which is particularly good news for touring riders who want to embark on multi-day expeditions in remote areas without charging infrastructure. The new, compact 2A Charger (2 Ampere) is the ideal solution for on-the-fly charging stops and can be easily stowed in a pannier. It’s around 25% lighter and 40 % smaller than the existing 4A Charger.

The new Bosch Purion 200, Kiox 500 and Mini Remote drop bar – the new Bosch displays and remotes for the 2024 season

After introducing the Mini Remote and top-tube integrated System Controller last year, Bosch are releasing more new remote and display solutions for MY 2024: The Mini Remote is now also available for drop-bar bikes.

The Purion 200 display forms a unit with the bar-mounted remote. The small display shows key information, like the battery charge status and current support mode, as well as the elapsed time and distance covered. The ambient light sensor adjusts the brightness of the coloured LEDs to the environment for optimal readability. The Purion 200 can be used in combination with a bigger Bosch display, like the Kiox 300. For example, you could use the larger display of the Kiox 300 to display navigation data, while showing the remaining range and assistance level on the Purion 200. Bosch also unveiled the new Kiox 500 display, which is the new bigger sibling of the Kiox 300. At 2.8 inches, it is around 40 % bigger than the Kiox 300 and, and features audible alerts when you deviate from the planned route – provided the navigation function is active.

More customisation options via the eBike Flow-App

Bosch also thought about the connectivity geeks, updating the eBike Flow app with countless new functions. For starters, you can customise your Kiox 300 and 500 displays to suit your needs and preferences. Using the app, you can choose the display’s content and organise the layout, fitting up to three data fields onto the same screen – for example pedalling cadence, speed and gradient. Apart from allowing you to customise the display layout, Bosch also added training-relevant information to the stats, like burned calories, allowing ambitious riders to keep an eye on their achievements and further improve their fitness level. There are also several new safety features, because the Flow+ premium subscription service also includes Bosch’s eBike alarm. As soon as someone touches or moves the bike when the eBike Alarm is active, the system sets off an alarm and transmits its location to the Bosch eBike Flow app, even when the motor is turned off. If this isn’t enough to deter the thief, the alarm gets increasingly louder, and the e-bike notifies its owner via a message on the smartphone, sharing its current position. However, this function requires a ConnectModule and an optional subscription. Bosch offer a one-year free trial and charge either € 4.99 per month or € 39.99 per year thereafter.

Bosch are expanding their Smart System with several new hardware and software solutions. With the Performance Line SX drive system, the German manufacturer has finally joined the light ebike party, significantly broadening the Smart System’s range of applications. The modular system offers bike manufacturers plenty of options and provides riders with a high level of connectivity. We’ve already tested the new Bosch Performance Line SX and can tell you how it performs in this article. Once we’ve tested all the other features, we’ll be sure to tell you how they perform, and to what extent they improve the existing Smart System.

Read our full review of the new Bosch Performance Line SX motor here, or visit the bosch-ebike.com website for more information about their new products.

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Peter Walker, Hersteller

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About the author

Mike Hunger

From slopestyle and landscape photography to enduro and action shots. Mike enjoys trying new things and loves action. He also loves craftsmanship, regularly going on road trips with his VW Syncro van, which he restored and converted himself. Of course, his bike and his camera are always with him so that he can ride the finest trails from Italy to the Alps and capture the most beautiful moments. Thanks to his training as an industrial mechanic, his experience in cycling and his photographic skills, he can apply his know-how perfectly as a bike journalist, testing the latest bikes and components and documenting his findings. As a photography nerd, he also captures the reviews with his camera and ensures that the magazine features only the best images.