Avinox and Gobao have just launched new E-CVT drive units, and they are going to completely revolutionise e-bike design. No more derailleurs to snag on rocks, no heavy cassettes impeding the suspension, and no need to back off the power when shifting gears under load. In fact, you’re going to have to completely reimagine how you think about e-bike gears and motors going forward.
But what exactly is an E-CVT? In a nutshell, it’s an Electronically-Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission. Which is an advanced automatic transmission where two electric motors work in tandem to control the power output and gear ratio. And the cool part is, it doesn’t have fixed gears like say, the Pinion MGU equipped Haibike we range tested.
Instead, the E-CVT adjusts the electric motor output in infinite variations to keep the motor in its most efficient operating zone, all while matching the rider’s inputs through the pedals. In simple terms this means you have an infinite number of seamless gears within a finite gear range. And because the motors are operating at the most efficient power output, it should offer improved range from the battery too.
And there are other advantages too. With a single cog at the rear, brands can choose to run either a chain or a belt. On the Avinox stand, Megamo, Canyon, Forbidden and Commencal all had chains on their MG Concept frames, while Mondraker was running a Gates Carbon Drive Belt. Gobao and Radiate both had belts, where Gobao even had it on the city bike that we tried.
Okay so we only rode the Gobao E-CVT around the car park at EuroBike. Hardly a real-world mountain bike test, but it was enough to impress us with its ultra smooth power delivery, seamless shifting, even under load and its relatively quiet operation. Unfortunately we did not get to ride the Aviniox MG concept motor, but if we had to bet on which brand will be first to deliver a production E-CVT equipped e-mountain bike, at this point the smart money would definitely be on Gobao.