Over the last decade or so, Bosch has made itself one of the biggest players in the electric bike motor world. The German brand may well be known for household appliances, but it's established itself as a leading force with its efficient mid-drive systems, which have now been employed on hundreds (if not thousands) of e-bikes.
You'll see Bosch drive systems on everything from e-cargo bikes to full suspension electric mountain bikes, as well as most types of bikes in between. They have however shied away from manufacturing hub drive systems, which are housed in the front or rear wheel hub rather than the bottom bracket. If you want to know more about the differences between the two, make sure you read our article on hub motors vs mid motors.
They do however offer a wide variety of mid-motor options, so we thought we'd break down the Bosch catalogue and look at each system and what it offers.
Active Line
| Application | Urban/city |
| Maximum torque output | 40Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Auto, eMTB, Turbo |
| Maximum power | 586W |
| Weight | 2.9kg |
The Active Line drive unit is typically seen on urban e-bikes, with a focus on durability over torque and power. (The legal maximum power of 250W relates to ' continuous rated power' - pretty much all motors will have a peak power output that’s above that 250W ceiling.)
Bosch claims it is the "quiestest drive unit in the Bosch portfolio," and it can use Auto mode, which adjusts the assistance level automatically as you ride. It's also compatible with hub gear systems, and can utilise a backpedal brake.
Active Line Plus
| Application | Urban/city |
| Maximum torque output | 50Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Auto, eMTB, Turbo |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 3.2kg |
The Active Line Plus is a step up from the Active Line, with an additional 10 Nm of torque available. It's still most frequently used on city and urban e-bikes, and can utilise Auto mode.
It is slightly heavier than the Active Line system, but offers more torque and power for the weight gained. It can work with both hub gears and derailleur gear systems, and has a maximum power output of 600W.
> Review: Bosch Active Line Plus
Cargo Line
| Application | E-Cargo |
| Maximum torque output | 85Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Sport, Auto, Cargo |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 2.9kg |
Designed to be used on e-cargo bikes - hence the name - the Cargo Line drive system is ideal for moving heavy loads via bike. It offers up to 400% support (four times your own pedal power), with a maximum torque rating of 85Nm. You'll only really find it on heavy duty load haulers, like the Tern GSD.
The Cargo Line has smart walk assistance and hill start assist to make getting going with a heavy bike easier. There are options for both hub gears and derailleur systems, both offering up to 600W of maximum power.
Performance Line
| Application | Trekking/touring, light off-road |
| Maximum torque output | 75Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Auto, eMTB, Turbo |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 3.2kg |
The Performance Line is aimed at more sporty applications than the Active Line, but isn't the pinnacle of Bosch performance, either. Instead, it's designed for trekking and touring e-bikes, including some light off-road riding. We rate it very highly.
The standard version offers up to 600W of assistance and 75Nm of torque, and utilises Auto assist mode for more natural riding. At 3.2kg it's not the lightest, but it's a decent sporty mid-drive for trekkers and tourers.
Performance Line Speed
| Application | S-Pedelecs |
| Maximum torque output | 85Nm |
| Assist modes | Limit, Eco, Auto, Turbo |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 2.9kg |
This is strictly for S-Pedelecs, as it functions at speeds of up to 45km/h. It's not a particularly common drive system in the UK, due to the many hurdles preventing people from using S-Pedelecs to their full potential.
In Europe, you'll likely see this system on bikes from Riese & Muller and the like. Essentially, brands that produce S-pedelecs for the continent.
> Buying and riding an S-pedelec in the UK
Performance Line SX
| Application | Lightweight eMTB, gravel, urban |
| Maximum torque output | 55Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Tour, eMTB, Turbo |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 2kg |
The Performance Line SX, often shortened to just SX, is Bosch's lightweight mid-power mid-drive unit. It's compact, weighing just 2kg, but still packs a punch with up to 600W of maximum power.
There are a wide range of e-bikes that have begun to utilise this system, from lightweight electric mountain bikes like the Whyte ELyte, to urban e-bikes and e-gravel bikes.
> Lightweight mid-motor shootout: Bosch SX v Fazua Ride 60 v Specialized SL 1.2 v TQ HPR-50
Performance Line CX
| Application | eMTB |
| Maximum torque output | 85Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Tour+, eMTB, Turbo |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 2.8kg (Gen 5) |
Perhaps one of the most popular drive systems Bosch has put its name to. The Performance Line CX, now in its 5th generation, has been updated to reduce previous (very small) niggles it had.
Often seen on higher end, full power electric mountain bikes, it's one of the key players in that market and for good reason. It's super responsive and packs a punch with 85Nm of torque and 600W of maximum power assist.
It's also compatible with electric gear shifting with TRP derailleurs and offers what Bosch call the "ultimate uphill flow." The astute amongst you will probably have noticed the stats between the CX and the Cargo Line are very similar.
The biggest difference is the amount of assistance each system gives the rider - the Cargo Line offers up to 400% and the CX up to 340%. There's also what Bosch calls the motor's 'start-up behaviour' which is how the motor engages when the rider pedals. The Cargo Line is tuned to be more 'powerful' and the CX, 'very sporty'.
Performance Line CX Race Limited Edition
| Application | eMTB (racing) |
| Maximum torque output | 85Nm |
| Assist modes | Eco, Tour+, eMTB, Race |
| Maximum power output | 600W |
| Weight | 2.75kg |
As the name suggests, the Performance Line CX Race Limited Edition is in fact designed for racing - more specifically, electric mountain bike racing. Whilst this may be a niche activity, it is a growing part of the sport, with more races locally and on the world stage now featuring electric MTB categories.
This drive system offers an exclusive 'Race' mode, which Bosch says helps riders to "accelerate faster" and reach top speeds more quickly. Extended Boost - which is available in eMTB mode - is now also available in Race mode, and helps when riders are trying to get up particularly technical climbs.
Extended Boost works by offering continous motor engagement and providing a burst of power when a rider eases pressure on the pedals. It has to be manually activated, usually by riders giving a quick stamp on the pedals - this helps riders to keep the cranks level so they can avoid obstacles without sacrificing power.
