China’s drone specialist DJI enters the electric bike market

The Chinese company is facing a potential ban on its drones in the U.S., which has prompted an expansion of the company’s product portfolio into areas not covered by the ban. Amflow eMTB bikes and the Avinox drive systems that power them will be presented simultaneously in China and at the Eurobike trade fair this month. The company’s website has language options for 26 countries in Europe as well as the USA, Canada, Australia and China.

According to Chinese media, the retail pricing for the Avinox drive system has not yet been announced, but pricing for the Amflow eMTB in Europe is expected to be in the range of €7,000 to €12,000 ($7,500 to $12,850). The release of the Amflow eMTB is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2024 and will be made available through authorized dealers.

Amflow electric bike models come with a deceptively slim carbon frame which houses the DJI Avinox drive. The electric motor weighs 2.52 kilograms and delivers the legally prescribed 250 watts of continuous power, but can deliver up to 850 watts at peak times. The manufacturer gives the torque as 105 Nm. The power is transmitted to the wheels via a planetary gearbox.

DJI also supplies the batteries and charging technology, with a choice of two batteries integrated into the frame with 600 or 800 Wh and a weight of 2.7 or 3.6 kilograms. The batteries can be charged using a Super Charger with 504 watts. This should reduce the charging time (0 to 75 % SoC) for the 800 Wh battery to around 1.5 hours.

Other special features of the Amflow bikes include a two-inch touchscreen in the top tube, Magura brakes and an Ergon SM Pro saddle. The manufacturer puts the total weight at 19.2 to 21.5 kilograms, depending on the equipment.

“Our passion for innovation at DJI and our expertise in battery and motor technology, which we have built up through our drones and camera stabilization systems, led us to develop Avinox,” says Christina Zhang, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at DJI. She explains that expanding into this industry was a natural step for DJI, “as we perfectly master the technologies that are essential for e-bike systems”.

The high-end electric bike drives are predicted to disrupt rapidly growing electric bike markets across the world. According to the US publication Electrek, “DJI has come out swinging with its first e-bike drive system, ready to shake up the status quo that typically sees German mid-drive motors on high-end bikes competing against Chinese mid-drives on more affordable options.”

Slovakian electric bike specialists Agog.sk – with Chinese language options on its website in addition to European languages – note, “With competitors including the likes of Bosch, Bafang, Shimano and SRAM, DJI is aiming to leave its place in this rapidly growing market.”

electrek.co, pedelec-elektro-fahrrad.de (in German), Agog.sk