For more than a decade, Bosch built its dominance in the European ebike market betting that mid-drive motors – where power flows through the chain and cranks – were the smarter choice for urban riders and mountain bikers alike. Hub motors, which spin the wheel directly from inside the rear axle, were for someone else. Today, that position just changed.
The company's new Hub Line is its first hub motor, slotting into the Smart System platform alongside a new ultra-slim battery. It fits inside the rear wheel hub and measures roughly 10 cm (4 in) in diameter, weighing in at 2.3 kg (5.1 lb). It delivers 45 Nm (33 lb.ft) of torque and reads cadence and rider effort in real time to modulate assistance smoothly. Above 25 km/h (15.5 mph), it decouples completely so the bike rolls like a normal bicycle, with no motor drag.
he result is a bike with a cleaner silhouette than a mid-drive setup, with no bulky motor unit at the cranks and no visual clutter around the pedals.
The Hub Line plugs into Bosch's Smart System, meaning riders get the eBike Flow App, over-the-air updates, navigation, and theft protection out of the box. It also works with eShift, Bosch's electronic shifting system, letting the bike handle gear changes automatically or ceding control back to the rider.
The motor pairs with the PowerTube 360, Bosch's slimmest battery yet – just 6.8 cm (2.7 in) in diameter and 2.1 kg (4.6 lb). Its 360-Wh capacity is modest, covering over 80 km (50 miles) in Eco mode, with the PowerMore 250 range extender optionally available for longer trips. A new LED Controller completes the setup, 65% smaller than its predecessor and with a USB-C port that delivers up to 10 W to top up gadgetry on the move.
"With our new features related to the Hub Line, we are ushering in a new era of urban eBikes.," said Claus Fleischer, CEO of Bosch eBike Systems. "They are not only light and agile and exciting with a clear and modern design language but also revolutionize the riding experience in the city."
Bosch's move into hub motors is strategic on two fronts. The company controls around 70% of the German ebike motor market – built almost entirely on mid-drive systems – and the broader sector has been contracting since the post-pandemic peak, with European sales having slipped to roughly 4 million units annually.
With Mahle setting the ultra-light benchmark via its X20 (just 1.39 kg / 3.1 lb) and Fazua's abrupt shutdown by Porsche in May 2026 leaving a vacuum in the premium integrated segment, Bosch has moved quickly to occupy that space, bringing the logistical weight its smaller rivals simply couldn't match.
Two major manufacturers are already on board, revealing Hub Line bikes alongside the announcement, with both debuting at Eurobike next week. Canyon's new Roadlite:ON CF is a carbon-fiber urban machine with a single-speed Gates belt drive, and a deliberately stripped-back aesthetic – the motor's 45-Nm doing the work a gear cluster would otherwise handle, all for €2,999 (US$3,442). Austrian brand Vello, meanwhile, claims the VIA+ is the world's first folding ebike built around the Hub Line. By moving the motor to the rear wheel, Vello eliminated the need for heavy central hinges, getting the whole package down to 16.5 kg (36.4 lb) at a starting price of €2,990 ($3,431).
Source: Bosch eBike Systems
