Update: Porsche acquires engine manufacturer FAZUA and plans joint ventures with mobility giant Pon/Ponooc

The German sports car manufacturer continues to invest in the bike industry – after securing the majority shares from Greyp, new investments and joint ventures are pending. Porsche AG have now acquired the German motor brand FAZUA and are planning a cooperation with Europe’s largest bike group, Pon, along with its sustainability and mobility fund Ponooc.

Porsche AG and its subsidiaries are already involved in many bike-industry joint ventures. There are the Porsche branded ebikes, which are produced in cooperation with ADP Engineering and ROTWILD, as well as the Croatian ebike manufacturer Greyp, of which Porsche have recently become the main shareholder. Not to forget the all-new bike brand Cyklær founded by Porsche Digital, whose first bikes are being designed and built in cooperation with Storck, FAZUA and Greyp

After acquiring a 20% stake in FAZUA in January, Porsche is now getting serious and completely purchasing the manufacturer of lightweight e-bike motors. The takeover by Porsche causes a positive mood at FAZUA: The excitement of now being part of the Porsche family is great. FAZUA recently introduced the new Ride 60 lightweight e-bike motor, which created quite a buzz in the e-bike scene.

The manufacturer of light, compact motor technology was founded in 2013, placing a particular focus on the light ebike category with the new FAZUA Ride 60 motor. In our motor group test, we take an in-depth look at the riding characteristics of the lightweight predecessor FAZUA Ride 50 Evation motor.

Porsche are planning two joint ventures with bike giant Pon/Ponooc

What is probably the most exciting news is still difficult to grasp as the exact details haven’t yet followed the announcement. However, what we do know is that Porsche AG are planning two joint ventures with Ponooc – the Pon Holdings B.V. sustainability fund. Pon Holdings B.V. isn’t just the parent company of a group of companies that includes bike manufacturers such as FOCUS, Cannondale, Santa Cruz, GT, Kalkhoff, Gazelle and Cervélo, but also a Dutch importer of Volkswagen and other mobility brands.

The following data serves to illustrate the extent to which the company is involved in the mobility sector: according to Pon, 1 in 5 ebikes in Germany is from a Pon brand, 75% of all Dutch citizens own a bike from a Pon brand and every fifth car in the Netherlands was imported from Pon.

Ponooc is Pon’s venture capital fund for start-ups and scale-ups. They focus on companies that are active in the areas of sustainable energy and mobility. As part of Pon, Ponooc have access to an extensive network in the mobility industry. Ponooc strive to be a proactive (minority) shareholder, supporting management where necessary.

Specifically, Porsche AG want to launch two joint ventures with Ponooc that will be active in the field of electric mobility. The first joint venture is to develop, manufacture and sell a future generation of high-quality Porsche ebikes. The second company will focus on technological solutions for the rapidly growing micro-mobility market.

Approval for this expansion is still subject to examination by the responsible cartel office. The acquisition of FAZUA, on the other hand, is already a sure thing. The existing cooperation with bike manufacturer ROTWILD will remain unchanged by the investments made by Porsche AG.

Porsche is serious about FAZUA and likely sees the potential in FAZUA and the new Ride 60. With these initiatives, Porsche say they want to advance their E-mobility strategy holistically, going beyond the electric car to position themselves firmly in the E-mobility sector. Chances are this won’t just give the bike sector a financial boost, additional know-how and a breath of fresh air, but also see the bike and automotive industries gradually merge. It could pave the way to a holistic, interconnected mobility industry. Are Porsche aiming to become big players in the ebike sector with their investments, or will Porsche branded E-scooters soon be crowding the sidewalks? We can’t wait to see what the German sports car manufacturer has in store for us.

Porsche have previously ventured into the ebike sector on their own. In our sister magazine, DOWNTOWN, we take a closer look at two ebikes from Porsche.

We also put the new Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo to the test for you in our sister magazine, DOWNTOWN. Hype or future? The new Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo in review.

Porsche and Greyp have already worked together on the Cyklær E-gravel bike. It emerged from a collaboration between Porsche Digital, Storck, FAZUA and, of course, Greyp. The E-gravel bike features front and rear cameras with streaming capability, as you’ll find on Greyp ebikes. Check out our sister magazine, DOWNTOWN, for a closer look at the urban E-gravel bike in our Eurobike 2021 highlights.

Porsche already acquired a majority share in the innovative e-bike manufacturer Greyp at the end of 2021, demonstrating its interest in the e-bike business. We summarised all the important topics at the time. You can find the whole article on the acquisition here.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Julian Schwede Photos: various

Porsche are planning two joint ventures with bike giant Pon/Ponooc

You may also like

About the author

Julian Schwede