Yamaha PW-X4: New E-MTB drive at the Eurobike

Some big names are missing at this year's Eurobike in Frankfurt, but there are still some exciting new products. With the PW-X4, Yamaha is presenting its most powerful motor for electric mountain bikes to date. It is embedded in a new, larger system.

With its key data, the Yamaha PW-X4 is in line with the current trend towards ever more power. As a system provider, you have to be able to offer maximum torque of 100 Nm and up to 800 watts of peak power in 2025. Yamaha is therefore on a par with the current Bosch drive and the Qore system from Brose, the manufacturer recently acquired by Yamaha. The Yamaha motor remains quite light at 2.6 kilos, while the zero-cadence function promises direct responsiveness.

At the exhibition grounds in Frankfurt, we were able to briefly test ride the new drive in an e-MTB from Raymon in Schweinfurt. The PW-X4 pushes hard, especially in the fourth and fifth support levels, but remains pleasantly quiet. The first, energy-saving drive level is again very discreet in the standard setting; when going uphill, most cyclists will switch to at least the third of five levels. The bike took us effortlessly up to the fifth floor of a parking garage, without needing the ten-second boost.

Networking with a partner

The new motor is part of the overall PW-Link system, which was also presented at Eurobike. This includes the PW-L1 (2 kg, 60 Nm) and the all-rounder PW-S3 (2.8 kg, up to 85 Nm), two additional drives as well as batteries, displays, and control units that can be freely combined with each other. The new PW-Link app, which links the individual components, will also be available for the market launch, which Yamaha is targeting for spring 2026.

Yamaha has partnered with Estonian company Comodule for connectivity and theft protection. Its companion app is integrated into PW-Link and expands the system with live tracking, digital lock, immobilizer, and other IoT functions.

(sht)