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Focus Project Y – electric motors in road bikes?

28.06.2017
by Robin Schmitt

E-mountainbikes are a huge boom for the bike industry. But what about e-road bikes? The rumour mill has been bubbling away for a long time now regarding development of this technology in road bikes. Focus Bikes have just presented a first radical concept for e-roadbikes with their Project Y. We took a first look at the Focus Project Y in South Tyrol, here all the details:

With three carbon models based on the Focus Paralane, the German bike manufacturer presents a study which illustrates the many possible applications of e-roadbikes:

Project Y Adventure Setup: Electric support for the fully packed adventure bike donkey?
Project Y Road Setup: Mountain goats – hunt for speed and climb for the toughest climbs?
Project Y Cross-Setup: Profiled tires for adverse conditions in mud and cross-country?

The promise of the Focus Study Project Y is:

  • Maximum performance in any riding situation
  • Weight of complete bikes under 12 kilos
  • Motor support up to 25 km / h
  • No pedaling resistance when riding over 25 km / h
  • Up to 400 watts of additional power

Fazua electric drive system

For Project Y, Focus will work with the Munich-based electric motor manufacturer, Fazua. Here is a look at the engine in detail.

The removable battery is located in the lower tube and has a capacity of 250Wh, which translates to a possible range of up to 50 km according to the manufacturer. If you use the electric drive assistance only for mountain passes, then the battery capacity should be good for a way longer road trip, especially as the engine stops at 25 km / h.

For maximum variability, the customer will have the possibility to ride the bike even without a battery, as a battery replacement a plastic cover is then used.
The electric motor has no throttle, it only supports the rider’s input. There are different support levels that multiply the power input. Torque sensors and cadence tracking at the motor unit as well as a spoke magnet on the rear wheel to measure speed help to regulate motor support.
The minimalist control unit also functions as a display and shows the support level via integrated LEDs. It would be desirable to have a Garmin integration, which Specialized already makes for their Turbo Levo models.

One project, infinite possibilities

This is what Focus Bikes had to say when presenting the new project: “We envisage a wide range of possible areas of use for PROJECT Y, and have already developed three versions with different specs to showcase these possibilities. But nothing is set in stone yet. We are now inviting the cycling community to take part by sending us their ideas. We then aim to discuss the options together and talk about which direction the future project should take.” Whether this bike will actually come to fruition is not yet known. However, we can be sure that more manufacturers will introduce e-roadbikes in the near future.

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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Valentin Rühl

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