BionX Launches Hub Motor with Integrated 3-speed

[Jerome Daoust]

From
http://www.bike-eu.com/news/3611/bionx-launches-hub-motor-with-integrated-3-speed.html

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany - The component many e-Bike makers are waiting for; a hub motor with integrated 3-speed gear hub is already there. This new BionX IGH3 technology will be used in Trek bikes in 2010.

It wasn’t launched at Eurobike with all the glitter and glamour this important e-Bike component should have had and maybe that’s why many industry insiders will have missed it. But Canadian BionX, which is a spin of company of auto parts giant Magna International that took over car maker Opel in Germany earlier this week, presented its BionX PL250HT motor with integrated SRAM 3-speed gear hub.

In a BionX press release it is said that: “With the use of e-Bikes and pedelecs growing rapidly in cities and the demand for a ‘care-free’ product adapted for personal and rental use increasing, BionX gave its two R&D Teams based in Canada and Austria the task of developing the ultimate care-free product that uses both BionX technology and a new SRAM 3 speeds hub.

“The fusion of BionX’s new SinDrive technology motor and the SRAM hub has created a high performance rear propulsion system that is silent, smooth, easy to use, and perfect for anyone who wants to ride without having to adjust, clean and lubricate external gears.

“We developed this product to target individual commuters, large cities rental programs, communities and business use like postal and police services, in using our proven BionX technology. We were looking at the ideal partner to launch it together with us and naturally opted for Trek thanks to their in depth involvement with BionX in their European and more recently North American ‘powered by BionX’ pedelec programs, together with our common wishes to build the ultimate care free products in using a rear propulsion system, dedicated for city users.”

At Eurobike, Magna also announced Hostettler GmbH to be the new exclusive distributor for BionX kits in Germany and Austria. This was announced by EPS Europe GmbH, the European subsidiary of BionX owner Magna Marque. EPS Europe is based in Haar/Salmdorf (near Munich) and will, next to the support of its distributors, focus on expanding BionX OEM business in Europe.

Related topic on TidalForce:
http://groups.google.com/group/tidalforce/browse_thread/thread/cacaf84ec5d76051#

 

[Jerome Daoust]

From:
http://www.bionx.ca/about-us/news/news01.php

PL250 HT – IGH3
Motor: 250W High Torque SinDrive with 3 speeds Integrated Gear Hub
Battery: Lithium Maganese 36V – 10Ah
Watt/Hours: 355Wh
Torque sensor
4 "intelligent" assistance levels: 35% - 75% - 150% - 300%
Regenerative assistance
Regenerative braking
Maximum range: 80km (note: use of regenerative mode can increase range)

 

[northernmike]

So - is the 3-speed transmission powered only by the pedals?

Or does it change the final drive ratio of the motor too?

This could be... FANTASTICHE!


Thanks Frank!

 

[mrzed]

So - is the 3-speed transmission powered only by the pedals?

Or does it change the final drive ratio of the motor too?

This could be... FANTASTICHE!


Thanks Frank!

Given how hub motors, geared or otherwise, are typically constructed, I'd go with extremely unlikely. I'm thinking it is more likely a direct drive hub motor with a fairly standard 3 speed internal hub gear system tucked in the middle.

 

[DahonElectric]

So - is the 3-speed transmission powered only by the pedals?

Or does it change the final drive ratio of the motor too?

This could be... FANTASTICHE!


Thanks Frank!

It would be nice if it does. But I think given that it's from SRAM which bought Sachs awhile back and they were known to make the Sachs 3x7 (I used that hub and did 8000 miles pedal power + no problem), it's a hub that replaces the need for a front derailleur. Since this is targeted to Europeans, the chain fenders aren't necessarily compatible with front derailleurs. Having the 3x hub in the rear solves that. Looking at the range of the HT model as opposed to the non-HT (250W) model seemed to justify this. Meaning, the cyclist given the lower gearing will provide more of the motive power output rather than the motor, which is typical to Bionx system. This is opposed to motorbike systems like a normal hub motor where no one pedals in the lowest granny gear and add assist to it -- you would crank up the throttle.

DE.

 

[Jerome Daoust]

Taking all the fun out of speculating, I sent this question to BionX (with a link to this discussion):

Is the 3-speed transmission powered only by the pedals? Or does it change the final drive ratio of the motor also?

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Jerome Daoust]

Just had a nice phone conversation with Vincent Lamoureux (BionX international sales director), and here is a summary he agreed I could post…

About this 250 W hub motor with integrated 3-speed:
a) Gear change is performed by the rider (not an automatic transmission), using a grip shift.
b) You change speeds when pedaling.
c) The motor (not just the rider) benefits from the gearing to help you to climb steep slopes and use another gearing for higher speeds. The gearing range is 35% to 300%.
d) It provides the same feel as the current/old 350 W motor, but avoids the need for a derailleur.

There will be a 350 W kit (with integrated 3-speed) available at the latest in Fall 2010, where the assistance sensor will be relocated to the motor area (instead of being on the bike frame).

That’s all for now,
Jerome

 

[Miles]

c) The motor (not just the rider) benefits from the gearing to help you to climb steep slopes and use another gearing for higher speeds. The gearing range is 35% to 300%.

Kudos to BionX, if they've achieved this.
The only Magna Marque patent I could find is this one:
http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=20070927&CC=US&NR=2007222170A1&KC=A1

35% to 300% over 3 gears????

 

[John in CR]

Yes, approx a 9:1 range over 3 gears??? I hope it's true, and hope it's beefy enough to run some real power through, so we can attach some proper motors instead of the anemic power allowed legally in Europe.

John

 

[gogo]

The gearing range is 35% to 300%.

Are you sure its not 35% to 300% assistance instead of gearing? I suppose you could get away with a three step 9:1 range of gears while using the motor, but you'd need closer ratios for non-assisted power.

300% assistance at the full 250W rating of the motor would be 250W motor + 83W rider for a system total of 333W. All contained in a hub whose gears could be shifted while stopped would be a very nice balance of performance and simplicity. I wonder what the top speed is at the 300% assistance level.

 

[Jerome Daoust]

The gearing range is 35% to 300%.

Are you sure its not 35% to 300% assistance instead of gearing?

I am 90% to 95% sure. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Miles]

Are you sure its not 35% to 300% assistance instead of gearing?

That seems to be the case: http://www.bionx.ca/about-us/news/news01.php

 

[DahonElectric]

Despite what the marketing people said, the PL-250 HT IGH3 is based on the PL-250 HT, which is a higher torque version of the PL-250 motor. Even the product page on the Bionx site itself said that it provides a higher % of assistance level compared to the PL-250 without the internal gears. My Bionx bike provides 4 assistant levels, 25%, 50%, 100% and 200% without using an internal gear. At 36V, the 250w motor will obviously outperform my 24V P-250 system, because of the higher operating voltage and thus providing more assistance. This is a no brainer!

The IGH 3 version was conceived I think because the European markets are a bit different than North America and the use of geared hub or single speed bike is not too uncommon. In order to accommodate those huge chain guard guide casing so people can bike with normal pants without getting grease on them, derailleur-less bikes are more appealing. The IGH3 version fills that. If this is a geared electric hub like an eZee, why didn't Bionx advertise this freely?!? It is well known that their brushless hubs do not freewheel. A SRAM 3 speed gear hub also does not freewheel as well as a normal rear hub too, unless you have a Rohloff. But that would be super expensive if combined with the PL-250HT. However, it would be really cool! Perfect setup for a folder I say -- Rohloff 14 speed with Bionx 250HT!

DE.

 

[Miles]

The question is not whether it is a geared hub, like the Ezee, but whether it is a direct drive that utilises the 3 speed hub gears or a direct drive incorporating a hub gear for use by the pedal input only. It's all as clear as mud, so far.....

 

[Miles]

At 36V, the 250w motor will obviously outperform my 24V P-250 system, because of the higher operating voltage and thus providing more assistance. This is a no brainer!

I don't see how an increase in voltage gives you more torque (assuming the speed is the same)? I guess it would help with low discharge rate batteries....

 

[gogo]

Should this thing be showing up in a patent search? My guess is that they stuck a 3 speed hub inside of a DD hub motor and the motor doesn't drive through the gears. Unless the 3 speed gears are external to the hub motor, they're going to get warm.

 

[DahonElectric]

At 36V, the 250w motor will obviously outperform my 24V P-250 system, because of the higher operating voltage and thus providing more assistance. This is a no brainer!

I don't see how an increase in voltage gives you more torque (assuming the speed is the same)? I guess it would help with low discharge rate batteries....

Actually, my 24V P-250 is using a high torque motor due to the fact that it is a 20" wheel as I was told by my dealer. Apparently, a Bionx dealer in town used a P-250 and slapped on a 36V Li-Mn battery and rode up Cypress Bowl, which is basically a 10% 10km hill climb. It was on a yellow birdy with the small wheel motor version (same as mine), but it went up really fast thanks to the 36V battery! So to me, this was something that had already been done. So the internal gearing to me is basically to reduce the need for a front derailleur or rear for that matter.

DE.

 

[Miles]

Actually, my 24V P-250 is using a high torque motor due to the fact that it is a 20" wheel as I was told by my dealer. Apparently, a Bionx dealer in town used a P-250 and slapped on a 36V Li-Mn battery and rode up Cypress Bowl, which is basically a 10% 10km hill climb. It was on a yellow birdy with the small wheel motor version (same as mine), but it went up really fast thanks to the 36V battery! So to me, this was something that had already been done. So the internal gearing to me is basically to reduce the need for a front derailleur or rear for that matter.

Yes, the wheel is part of the total gearing system. So, with a smaller wheel, you can use a faster motor for a given road speed. You have more power with the same torque but there's more torque available as the gearing up of the wheel is less. It's a bit misleading to call this a high torque motor.....

Yes, if you increase the voltage, you will go up the same hill faster. It doesn't mean that you can go up a steeper hill, though

 

[jmygann]

any kits yet ? isn't there also a 500 watt model ?