How can a CVT motor be made for an e-bike?
I was actually thinking this morning when I saw the videos with Avinox MG CVT, could it be that there are two electric motors like in Toyota hybrids?
The folks at Avinox didn't answer this question yesterday, but Rob Rides today, during an interview with someone from Radiate Engineering & Design, who designs frames for OEM bicycles, found out the answer: there are two electric motors in the drive unit and a planetary system between them.
This CVT system is not new; it has been implemented in hybrid cars - Toyota Hybrid System, Hybrid Split Transmission, and was launched some years ago, in December 1997 on the Prius.
It is a very ingenious solution, well explained by Professor John Kelly from Weber State University:
It is true that in the case of e-bike CVT systems, the motors are not coaxially mounted, but offset. However, the principle is the same.
The MG1 motor in Toyota serves as a starter, a generator for charging the battery, and when commanded correctly, with certain RPMs relative to the internal combustion engine and the main electric motor, it continuously adjusts the transmission ratio from the main electric motor driving to the ICE (rider in our case).
The mode on the e-bike is Parallel Hybrid Mode, where the main motor assists the rider.
The new motor from Gobao doesn't seem to be any less than the announced Avinox MG Concept; it offers 1500W, they have developed a battery that can support this power, and they have a very powerful charger.
It weighs 3.8 Kg and can switch from the lowest to the highest gear ratio in 0.3 seconds.
It is integrated and available for demo on a concept bike designed by Radiate Engineering & Design, featuring a belt transmission and a center tensioning system with guidance at the sprockets, as we saw earlier with Mondraker:
Gobao doesn't seem like a small company if we look at the size of their booth:
Let's watch as bicycle manufacturers adopt this system. Does Avinox already have a serious competitor?
