A guide to 2023 Bosch e-bike motors, batteries and displays

Arguably the biggest name in e-bike systems, Bosch has been providing power to e-bikes since 2010. Now in their thirteenth year, Bosch motors deliver the holy trinity for e-bike assistance: power, efficiency and excellent ride feel.  This guide gives an overview of each portion of the Bosch e-bike system –, motors, batteries and displays, helping you decipher the jargon in order to ensure you purchase the right Bosch-powered electric bike for your riding needs.

In this article
2023 Bosch electric bike updates
2023 Bosch electric bike motors
Bosch electric motor comparison
2023 Bosch electric bike batteries
Bosch electric bike battery comparison
2023 Bosch electric bike displays
Bosch electric bike display comparison
Bosch range assistant

2023 Bosch electric bike updates

Before we get stuck into the nitty-gritty of Bosch's electric bike gubbins, it's worth taking the time to digest Bosch's most recent updates. Announced in July 2022, just before we caught them at Eurobike 2022, the Bosch MY2023 update aims to make every ride fun, safe and secure. We've summarised the key points below.

• New eBike Alarm: Bosch's new eBike alarm is brand new. Used in conjunction with Bosch's other security feature, eBike Lock and perhaps a conventional bike lock to form the ultimate protection system. So, what is eBike alarm? A unit fitted to a bike is paired and configured with the Bosch eBike Flow app and a smartphone acts as a digital key. Switch off a paired electric bike and the eBike alarm will arm automatically. Small movements of the bike will result in both audible and visual alarms, with smartphone notifications sent if larger movements are detected. If your bike is stolen tracking will start automatically enabling location information to be quickly passed to the relevant authorities. It's worth noting that the first 12 months of eBike Alarm are free, however, after a year has passed the cost is €4.99 per month or €39.99 per year. (£ pricing to be confirmed).

• Performance Line & Cargo Line are now part of The Smart System: Bosch continues to push The Smart System as a moniker to describe how they provide a complete, secure and updatable electric bike system. Previously the Smart System was only available on Performance Line CX motors. Going forward, electric bikes with new Performance Line and Cargo Line motors will be part of The Smart System. Essentially this means that the motor's firmware is continuously updated when paired with the eBike Flow app. It also means new features like the eBike Alarm, eBike ABS, auto mode switching and hill hold are compatible with the motor.

• New Powerpack & PowerTube batteries compatible with The Smart System: The range of rechargeable batteries for Bosch's smart system will be further expanded in 2023. New to the portfolio is the PowerTube 500Wh and 625Wh, as well as 545Wh and 725Wh versions of the PowerPack battery. Our Bosch electric bike battery comparison table has been updated to reflect these new models.

• New Intuvia 100 Display: Bosch's Intuvia display is a popular choice for many electric bike brands. Placed at the centre of an urban electric bike's handlebar the display is simple, clear and easy to read in all natural sunlight. As 2023 rolls ever closer Bosch have aimed to go one better with the new Intuvia 100 display. Again, it's compatible with The Smart System and unlike the standard Intuvia, it can be removed from the bike (for connectivity and security reasons), displays the exact battery %and even suggests when the time comes to shift gears.

• New System Controller & Mini Remote: Since their inception, Bosch has stuck with external displays or controllers for their e-bike systems. Last year, the introduction of the Kiox 300 display with LED remote showed that paired back, minimal displays might be a direction that Bosch was willing to explore. This year (for 2023), Bosch have taken it one stage further with their 'System Controller' a frame-mounted system akin to Ebikemotion or Fazua. It acts as a conduit to the eBike Flow app and is supplemented by a mini remote (connected via Bluetooth) up on the handlebars. We can see this being a display option for slick, lightweight urban e-bikes powered by Bosch. One notable thing about the Mini Remote is that it can operate the eBike Flow app - a nice integration if you plan to ride with a smartphone mounted to the handlebars.

• Refined ABS system: Electric bikes have been dancing around ABS braking for some time now. With the extra weight on board (think batteries, motors etc.) and other road users to navigate, safe breaking (in bad weather or an emergency) is paramount. The onboard ABS system sensors how fast a front wheel is moving before regulating the brake pressure applied by the rider. The aim? To prevent front wheel washouts or rear wheel lift resulting in an ejection over the handlebars!

That's a quick digest of Bosch ebike innovations for 2023. Expect to see these new bits on electric bikes from as early as Autumn 2022, with more bikes featuring the updates from early 2023.

2023 Bosch electric bike motors

At the heart of every e-bike system is a motor. All Bosch motors are situated at the crank of an e-bike. Sometimes called mid-drive, these motors are powerful, offer a natural riding sensation as well as help balance the overall weight of the e-bike system.

Each Bosch motor will provide assistance up to a speed of 15.5mph, the legal limit here in the UK and riders can select from various riding modes (cargo, turbo, eMTB, sport, auto, tour, tour+ and eco) to conserve range, or simply provide a splurge of power when it’s needed. To help with ride feel, Bosch electric bike motors measure torque, speed and acceleration more than 1000 times a second, rationing the power accordingly. This ensures there's a perfect interaction between rider and bike.

There are five different types of Bosch e-bike motor:

Bosch Performance Line CX

Performance Line CX is Bosch’s most powerful motor designed for electric mountain bikes. Updated in 2020 to be 48% smaller and 1kg lighter than the previous iteration, this unit can now pump out 85nm of torque after a software update. This means it should accelerate faster and perform more efficiently at low riding cadences.

The unit is impressive to look at but perhaps, more importantly, offers that powerful, sporty feel mountain bikers demand, delivering up to 340% assistance as you pedal. 

Pedalling efficiency was updated in 2020 thanks to a redesigned crank-motor interface. Previously a small ring, not driven by the cranks, was used for Performance Line CX. This had the tendency to make riding without assistance a slightly sluggish experience. The newest version is now driven directly by a traditional chainring, mounted to the bottom bracket which helps maintain a natural ride feel once you pop over that magic 15.5mph. You can find the most up-to-date Bosch manual for this motor at this link.

Shop all of our electric bikes with a Bosch Performance Line CX motor.

Bosch Performance Line

Whether riding big miles on an electric hybrid bike or negotiating your favourite trail, Bosch Performance Line always delivers the right level of support.

Redesigned in 2020, it’s not as compact or as light as Performance Line CX but it certainly retains enough punch for most e-bikers. 65Nm of torque (a measure of the rotational power of the motor) helps when things head skywards, whilst the same direct drive system as Performance Line CX helps maintain a natural ride feel. It’s also one of the quietest drives in its class. Detailed information about this motor can be found on this link, meanwhile, Bosch Performance Line electric bikes are a tab or click away.

Bosch Active Line Plus

Active Line Plus has been designed by Bosch to help commuters in urban environments get to and from work, as well as providing enough power, 50Nm of torque to be exact, for more demanding weekend rides.

Active Line Plus is whisper quiet and doesn’t drag once your speedo ticks over that 15.5mph mark. Detailed information about this motor can be found on this link. Shopping for an electric bike with a Bosch Active Line Plus motor? Bikes with this specification are available on this link.

Bosch Active Line

Experience well-controlled acceleration and moderate assistance with Bosch’s Active Line motor. Anything but entry-level, Active Line offers 250% support level in Turbo mode and a maximum 40Nm of torque. Detailed information about this motor can be found on this link. Shop Bosch Active Line electric bikes.

Bosch Cargo Line

Designed specifically for large electric cargo bikes, Bosch’s Cargo Line motor makes carrying large loads a doddle. Extremely powerful (85nm of torque with 2021 software), the motor will provide support for cargo bikes and loads that weigh up to an incredible 250kg!

Whether moving to a new house or simply taking children to school, Cargo Line delivers load-controlled acceleration, even from the first pedal stroke. Due to their relatively high cost and various incarnations, we felt a full rundown of electric cargo bikes was warranted. Read our ultimate guide to electric cargo bikes.

You can find the most up-to-date Bosch manual for this motor at this link.  All of our electric bikes with Bosch Cargo line are just a click away.

Bosch electric motor comparison

Here’s a simple table to help you understand the differences between Bosch e-bike motors.

	Performance Line CX	Performance Line	Active Line Plus	Active Line	Cargo Line
Best for	Mountain biking	Mountain biking. Long distance or fast touring	Commuting or relaxed touring	Commuting or leisure riding.	Cargo bikes, carrying heavy loads
Support level %+	Turbo: 340: eMTB*: 140-340 Tour: 140 Eco: 60	Turbo: 300 Sport/eMTB*: 120-300 Tour: 120 Eco: 55	Turbo: 270 Sport: 180 Tour: 100 Eco: 40	Turbo: 250 Sport: 170 Tour: 100 Eco: 40	Turbo: 400 Sport: 240 Tour: 140 Eco: 60
Maximum possible torque (Nm)	85^	65	50	40	85^
Maximum supported cadence (rpm)	120	120	105	100	120
Start-up behaviour	Very sporty	Sporty	Harmoniously agile	Harmonious	Powerful
Weight	Approx. 2.9kg	Approx. 3.2kg	Approx. 3.2kg	Approx. 2.9kg	Approx 2.9kg

*eMTB mode is available on Performance Line and Performance Line CX only. Depending on how hard you pedal, this mode switches between Tour and Turbo mode to ensure support is always at the ideal level, even at low cadences.

⁺Support level % refers to motors on bikes with a derailleur rather than a hub gear

^With software update

Note that Bosch Performance Line Speed and Cargo Line Speed are not included in this table because they offer a maximum assistance speed which is currently illegal for e-bikes in the UK.

2023 Bosch electric bike batteries

The next part of the Bosch e-bike system is the battery. Batteries determine an e-bike’s possible range, charge time as well as the way a bike handles due to its position on the frame.

To cater for different bike types, Bosch offers three battery types: 

Integrated battery

A recent addition from Bosch, the slim, compact design enables e-bike manufacturers to integrate the battery into their frames perfectly. Sometimes called PowerTubes, Bosch offers 400, 500, 625 wH and 750 wH (Watt-hours refers to the number of watts that can be delivered in one hour) versions. You’ll spot integrated batteries like this on high-end electric mountain bikes. The 750 wH version was new for 2022.

Frame battery

Bulkier than an integrated battery, frame batteries sit on, or in, a bike’s downtube. Bosch name these PowerPacks and manufactures them in 300, 400, 500 and new for 2023 545 and 725wH. Electric urban bikes, electric mountain bikes and even electric folding bikes use this type of battery.

Rack battery

One unfortunate consequence of frame batteries is their impact on a rider’s ability to mount and dismount a step-through e-bike. To solve this, Bosch designed the rack battery - situated over the rear wheel, but under a pannier rack. Again in 300, 400, and 500 wH versions, look out for a battery like this on step-through electric hybrid bikes.

Bosch electric bike battery comparison

Here’s a simplified table to illustrate the different attributes of each Bosch e-bike battery.

	PowerPack 300wH	PowerPack 400wH	PowerPack 500wH	PowerPack 545wH*	PowerPack 725wH*	PowerTube 400wH	PowerTube 500wH	PowerTube 500wH (Smart)*	PowerTube 625wH	PowerTube 625wH (Smart)*	PowerTube 750wH
Mounting type	Frame, Rack	Frame, Rack	Frame, Rack	Frame	Frame	Integrated	Integrated	Integrated	Integrated	Integrated	Integrated
Ah capacity	8.2Ah	11.0Ah	13.4Ah	14.4Ah	19.2Ah	11.0Ah	13.4Ah	13.4Ah	16.7Ah	16.7Ah	20.1Ah
100% charge time	Compact: 5h Standard: 2.5h Fast: 2.5h	Compact: 6.5h Standard: 3.5h Fast: 2.5h	Compact: 7.5h Standard: 4.5h Fast: 3h	4A Charger: 4.9h	4A Charger: 6h	Compact: 6.5h Standard: 3.5h Fast: 2.5h	Compact: 7.5h Standard: 4.5h Fast: 3h	4A Charger: 4.5h	Compact: 8.8h Standard: 4.9h Fast: 3.7h	4A Charger: 5.4h	4A charger: 6h
Dual Battery Compatibility		✓	✓				✓		✓
Weight	Frame: 2.5kg Rack: 2.6kg	Frame: 2.5kg Rack: 2.6kg	Frame: 2.6kg Rack: 2.7kg	3kg	4kg	2.9kg	2.9kg	3kg	3.5kg	3.6kg	4.4kg

Note that Bosch recommends that you store an e-bike battery between 0 and 20°C, out of direct sunlight and at 30-60% charge status to prolong its life.

*Batteries only compatible with The Smart System

That’s all very well, we hear you cry, but how does that impact an e-bike’s range? An e-bike’s range is the result of several factors and happily, Bosch has grouped these together in one handy tool. Give the Bosch Range Assistant a go below. A lovely glossy PDF packed full of information about Bosch's e-bike batteries is here. Whilst the actual manual for the batteries can be found at this link.

Want to learn more about e-bike batteries? Read Electric bike battery care - 5 helpful tips.

2023 Bosch electric bike displays

Bosch e-bike systems are controlled using either an on-board computer or a compatible smartphone display. Let’s look at those in turn.

On-board computers

Bosch Kiox 300

Kiox 300 is a full-colour, compact display with an unbridled number of features. For 2022, Bosch has radically updated the Kiox. The full-colour display unit provides all the essential information and changing riding modes is now even easier with the new accompanying LED remote.

Another notable new feature of the Kiox 300 (alongside the new eBike Flow app) is its ability to update the bike's firmware wirelessly. This way when Bosch announces updates to its tech riders can upgrade at home without visiting us in-store. The display can also be positioned centrally on the handlebars, with tilting possible for the first time.

Bosch Nyon

Completely updated in 2021, Bosch Nyon offers everything an e-bike rider could ever want: ride data, navigation, fitness measurement and motor control, but now in a smaller, compact package.

The Nyon's new 3.23" screen shows you all the important information at a glance and can easily be customised with 30 different metrics and three design suggestions.

With Nyon, you can choose between the fastest or most scenic route to a given location, store favourite addresses, like home and work, or even plan a cycle tour with stopovers! For exact information on Nyon, the Bosch manual is just a click away.

Bosch Purion

Purion is Bosch’s smallest device, displaying charge status, speed, ride mode, range, trip distance and total distance. Fitted neatly at the end of a handlebar, Purion is easily operated with a thumb or finger. Bosch's own manual for the Purion display can be found by clicking this link.

Bosch Intuvia 100

Mounted either out in front or over a stem, Bosch Intuvia 100 was released for 2023. It’s easy to read, even in low light and is the first unit from Bosch to operate a motor completely via Bluetooth.

Bosch Intuvia

Mounted on an e-bike stem, Bosch Intuvia displays all the key information. It’s easy to read, even in low light and a USB port enables you to charge your devices on the go.

Smartphone Displays

SmartphoneHub

SmartphoneHub from Bosch transforms an e-bike into a fully connected part of your digital life. From navigation, music streaming, fitness tracking or even using third-party apps, such as Strava or Komoot, this is one powerful device. Want to leave your smartphone at home? A 1.52” integrated display helps you control your e-bike as well as displaying all the most important ride data.

SmartphoneGrip

The easy way to transform your smartphone into an eBike display. Simply attach the SmartphoneGrip to the handlebar, insert your smartphone and open the eBike Flow app. Your smartphone will be charged via the SmartphoneGrip while the eBike Flow app reliably guides you to your destination. The Grip is also compatible with the Kiox 300 display so you can choose to swap between them when ride demands change. Here's a link to the SmartphoneGrip manual.

COBI.Bike

Bosch acquired COBI.Bike in 2017 and has now offered this system as an alternative to their own unit. Similar to SmartphoneHub, COBI.Bike turns a Bosch-powered e-bike into a smart two-wheeled machine.

Bosch electric bike display comparison

Compare Bosch e-bike displays and their various capabilities in our comparison table.

	Kiox 300	Nyon	Purion	Intuvia	Intuvia 100	System Controller	SmartphoneHub	Cobi Bike
LED remote	✓
Mini Remote						✓
High-resolution display	✓	✓
USB device charging	✓	✓		✓	✓		✓	✓
Fitness tracking	✓	✓			✓		✓	✓
Navigation		✓					✓	✓
Third-party app	✓	✓					✓	✓
Walk assistance	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓

Bosch Range Assistant

So how far can I ride with a Bosch e-bike?

That’s a question we get asked all the time. We’d recommend giving Bosch’s range assistant a try below.

It enables you to select a Bosch e-bike motor and battery, alter riding factors and whizz pop, out spits an estimated range. Excellent for determining battery performance for a prospective commute or how many times you can ride your favourite trail loop after work.  

Oh, and if metric kilometres aren't your thing, there's a switch at the bottom to change all the figures to miles!

There we have it, our guide to 2023 Bosch electric bike motors, batteries and displays. An in-depth glossy PDF from Bosch, describing things in their terms is also available: Bosch E-Bike Catalogue 2021. Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below.