• Completely new development focusing on controlled power delivery
• Series-ready OEM system as a deliberate alternative to torque escalation
• Produced in Saxony following multi-million-euro investment by parent company Johnson Electric

With the new gDrive mid-motor, Pendix is launching a fully new development, deliberately positioning the system beyond the ongoing power race in the e-bike segment. Instead of maximum torque figures, the focus is on controlled, harmonious power delivery, enabling OEMs to differentiate their products through ride feel. The new drive is produced on a purpose-built production line in Wilkau-Haßlau, Saxony, following investments of around €5.5 million by the parent company, Johnson Electric.

The gDrive mid-motor is neither an update nor a model revision, but a completely newly developed drive platform. While the European market increasingly moves towards higher performance values, and systems from established providers such as Bosch or tech-driven competitors like DJI compete on maximum Newton metres, Pendix focuses on a different differentiator: rideability.

Technically, the gDrive features a progressive power characteristic. Torque builds up smoothly, and assistance is delivered in a controlled and predictable way. The goal is a riding experience that integrates naturally into the overall ride – without abrupt load changes or aggressive power spikes. Additionally, the system is modular, so in case of service only individual components need to be replaced, not the entire drive.

“We didn’t want to develop a system that impresses on paper, but one that convinces in everyday use,” says Andrea Staniero, Managing Director of Pendix GmbH. “Especially in urban traffic or comfort-oriented trekking, predictability is often more important than maximum power.”

From the outset, the gDrive was designed as a complete OEM-ready system. Motor, battery, control unit, and peripherals are systemically coordinated and designed for industrial-scale production. The drive is manufactured on a newly built production line in Wilkau-Haßlau, Saxony. Parent company Johnson Electric invested around €3.5 million in the system’s development, approximately €1.0 million in production at the Wilkau-Haßlau plant, and a further €1.0 million in tooling and equipment from external suppliers.

With this investment, Pendix underlines its commitment to combining European value creation with industrial capability. Short supply chains, predictable spare part availability, and stable quality processes are becoming strategically important in a globally influenced market environment.

The new gDrive is thus an industrially produced mass motor, but with a clear attitude: powerful, but not aggressive; scalable, but not interchangeable; European-made, yet internationally competitive.

The gDrive mid-motor will be presented for the first time from 20–22 March 2026 at the CYCLINGWORLD EUROPE trade fair in Düsseldorf, Kaltstahl Hall, Stand O3, where other Pendix products will also be showcased.

Further information: www.pendix.de