Mahle has launched the X30, a new electric bike rear-hub drive unit for road, gravel, urban and kids' bikes.Mahle says the X30 is the perfect system for every type of rider because of its versatility, robustness and the fact it's technologically advanced.The motor is positioned as a new industry standard for lightweight electric bikes that builds on lessons Mahle learnt when developing its previous drive units, the X35 and X20.The X30 will form the basis of Mahles drive systems moving forward. It is said to turn ebikes into smart bikes, with the digital ecosystem adapting the motor performance to your needs.A new industry standardSpot the motor the X30 continues Mahle's aim of creating ebikes that look like non-assisted bikes. - Javier Martnez de la Puente / Zubiko PhotographyMahle acquired the Spanish ebike company, Ebikemotion, in 2018 a year after it released the X35 ebike motor system.Mahles ebike business has grown to include more than 100 brands in its portfolio and half a million ebikes on the market. That growth has in part been achieved through Mahles scale and resources. The automotive and mobility company has more than 72,000 employees, 148 product locations and 11 tech centres. It made 12.8bn in sales in 2023.Mahle Smartbike Systems head of marketing, Diego Rodrguez, says the X35 changed the ebike game: This was a system that made people understand that ebikes can be done in a different way.In short, they could be light and retain the look of a non-assisted bike, something Mahle maintained with its X20 system, released in 2022 and targeted at performance cyclists.The new motor can be used across adult and kids' bikes. - Javier Martnez de la Puente / Zubiko PhotographyThe X30 shares this philosophy, but Mahle is keen to frame the X30 ebike system as a new industry standard. This system was born to be the standard light ebike system for the industry in the upcoming years, says Rodrguez.Marco Antonio De la Serna founded Ebikemotion, but now acts asMahle Smartbike Systems head of strategy and business development. He says the X30 is what I would have liked to have seven years ago, when the X35 was released.For fans of professional bike racing, Mahle Smartbike Systems X Drive product manager, Gonzalo Garca, says if you imagine the X20 as Grand Tour specialist Jonas Vingegaard, then the X30 is multi-discipline champion Mathieu van der Poel. This may also explain their differences in weight, with the X30 system weighing 500g more than the X30 at a claimed 3.5kg.The fact that the X30 can be used across virtually all types of bikes, apart from electric mountain bikes, aids Mahles claim that it will be the industrys standard for lightweight ebikes. So, too, does the backward compatibility with Mahles existing components, accessories and the digital ecosystem shared with the X20.Efficiency over powerGreater efficiency means you can get further with the system's energy capacity. - Javier Martnez de la Puente / Zubiko PhotographyEach of the three X Drive units in Mahles range delivers 250W of power, but with 45Nm of torque, the X30 sits between the X35 and the more powerful X20, which delivers 55Nm.Garca stresses that power isnt everything: When we're thinking and choosing a system for our bike, we think of power. But theres something important that we forget, which is the efficiency of the system.The efficiency helps you to go further with the systems energy capacity. That means for the same range, if you have an efficient motor you can have a smaller battery.Mahle claims the engineering of the X30 rear-hub motor lowers energy loss and increases energy efficiency by 15 per cent compared to similar systems, helping you extend your trip in an environmentally friendly way. The smaller battery also helps keep the weight of the system down.There are three batteries available for the system with different ranges:iX3: 130km rangeiX2: 90km rangeeX1: bottle-shaped range extender offering 55km of rangeMotor mappingMotor mapping means the X30 can be tailored to disciplines and a brand's wishes. - Javier Martnez de la Puente / Zubiko PhotographyThe X30 will deliver more power, up to 12kph, than the X20 and X35 and slightly less than the X20, up to its top speed of 25kph.However, adjusting the performance and behaviour of an ebike motor via motor mapping plays an important role in the X30s versatility.A cyclist on a 10,000 electric road bike will want different ride characteristics from their ebike motor than a gravel rider, commuter or child bombing around a pump track.Mahle outlines the following motor characteristics for different disciplines:Road: Smoother response to the rider torque and smoother acceleration at low and high speedsGravel: More reactive to the rider torque with higher acceleration at low speeds and lower acceleration at high speedsUrban: More reactive to rider torque with higher accelerationKids: Reactive to rider torque with smooth acceleration across speedsBeyond these rough guidelines, Mahle says it works with bike brands to customise the motor mapping of their bikes. They can adjust more than 100 parameters for the desired ride quality and feel.If you try two different bikes with the same system, you feel theres a difference in how the bike is behaving. But the system is still the same, says Garca.A brands decision can also be informed by rider behaviour accessible via a virtual dashboard.Thats important because that way they get to know the end users better, says Garca, adding that this will help them boost their business.A customisable system and tech integrationThe HMI unit is the heart of the system. - MahleYou can customise the X30s performance and even let the system adapt to your riding independently.Mahles HMI head unit, located in a bikes top tube, enables you to turn the ebike on or off and flick through three levels of assistance.This is basically the heart of the system. All the intelligence and decision-making of the system is in this device, says Garca.This intelligence extends to a fourth setting called Smart Assist, available on ebikes fitted with Mahles torque sensor.You can customise your X30 system via the Mahle app. - Javier Martnez de la Puente / Zubiko PhotographyMahle says Smart Assist will use the torque reading to adapt the bikes response to your power input, the conditions and the terrain. The feature uses AI and machine learning and the real-time information processing of the HMI head unit.You can customise Smart Assist via Mahles MySmartBike cycling app, where the assistance level can be adjusted on a sliding scale.Furthermore, the app enables you to record your activities and will integrate with Strava.Mahle provides an Apple Watch app, too. Like the smartphone app, you can use it to record your rides, and change assistance levels and power. Using the sensor in the Apple Watch, it will monitor your heart rate data to optimise and track your performance.Rich on accessoriesThe X30 can be used with a range of accessories, including a range extender and shifters. - MahleComplementing the customisation offered to brands and end users, Mahle says its ebike platform is rich on accessories to enhance an ebike.Alongside the eX1 range extender, there are two shifting button accessories. These mean you can switch between assistance modes from the handlebar rather than reaching down to the HMI head unit on the top tube.The Duo Remote means you can change the assistance level without reaching to the HMI in the top tube. - MahleThe Duo Remote has two buttons and is suitable for the flat handlebars of electric commuting bikes. The eShifters consist of two separate units that can be fitted to either side of the drop handlebar of an electric gravel bike or road bike.Mahle also has a cycling computer called the PulsarONE, which displays information such as assistance mode, speed, battery charge and distance travelled.How does the X35 compare to Mahles other X Drive units?The table below provides a general overview of how Mahle X Drive units compare. X20X30X35 Torque55Nm45Nm40Nm Power250W250W250W Type of motorRear hubRear hubRear hub System weight3kg approx. 3.5kg approx.3.5kg approx. Max. speed25kph / 25mph (USA)25kph / 25mph (USA)25kph / 25mph (USA) Main battery236Wh / 350Wh236Wh / 350Wh244Wh External battery171Wh171Wh208Wh RangeUp to 200kmUp to 185km Up to 165km Edit Table