Interview with FIT & Pinion
«A broad range of applications»
The Motor.Gearbox.Unit, or MGU for short, from our drive partner Pinion was one of the big innovations at this year’s Eurobike 2023 in Frankfurt. FIT was instrumental in the development of the drive system. But how did FIT and Pinion work together? What hurdles had to be overcome before market readiness? And what does the Motor.Gearbox.Unit mean for the future of e-bike technology? We talked about this with FIT project manager Peter Gehriger and Pinion project manager Cosima Hagen.
Cosima and Peter, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us. Let’s first take a look back at this year’s Eurobike: Did you expect the Motor.Gearbox.Unit to cause such a stir?
Cosima Hagen: Naturally, we had hoped so. Combining the motor and gearbox in one element was the next logical step in the e-bike segment – this goal was, and is, of course, also being pursued by other companies. Since we were the first to introduce this in a serial product in e-bikes, we naturally also expected the response to be great.
Nevertheless, we were surprised at just how much enthusiasm there was. People were really euphoric when they came back from the test drives.
Peter Gehriger: I did actually have a premonition [laughs]. In the run-up to the Eurobike, there was a press event at Lake Garda that showed us just how great the interest on the part of the media is.
What are the features that make the Pinion Motor.Gearbox.Unit so special?
Peter: One feature that is often praised is the low wear and tear. The system can manage 10,000 kilometers without maintenance – it has to be said that that is pretty amazing. Added to this is the special shifting behavior. When the gearbox and motor are combined and both know what the other component is doing at all times, the result is a very direct and smooth shifting experience. This is certainly unique.
Cosima: We also see the shifting behavior as the big innovation. And by that I don’t just mean the lightning-fast shifting that is possible with the MGU, but also its simplicity. With classic derailleur gears, correct shifting is an art: You have to relieve the load and change gears at just the right time to achieve the optimum result. With the MGU, this is no longer the case. You shift and the MGU does the rest – regardless of whether you are pedaling or not.
How did the collaboration between FIT and Pinion come about?
Cosima: Pinion has a high level of expertise in the manufacture of mechanical gearboxes. It was clear to us that we could only develop the peripherals, such as the display, remote and battery, to a limited extent. Since FIT offers an open platform for drive and component integration, the collaboration was obvious. There has actually also been very good contact between FIT and Pinion for some time now.
Peter: Our strength is the integration of drives into systems. With Pinion, however, the cooperation went much further because the MGU is a development that we worked on together from the very beginning. The starting signal was given about three years ago, although ideas and plans were definitely circulating before that.
When two companies develop a new product together, what are the biggest challenges?
Peter: Probably finding a common denominator. Everyone has different ideas and wants to solve problems in different ways. You are dependent on good communication. Cosima and I quickly realized that. To this day, we have held regular meetings to discuss everything relevant to the MGU.
Cosima: A simple example of such different ideas was what colors to use for the riding modes on the display. We wanted to switch to a Pinion-specific color concept because we thought it was just a simple change of color codes in the program. However, it turned out that the time involved in effecting such a change would have been much greater than we had anticipated. Here we benefited greatly from the experience of FIT. There were some requests that Peter didn’t see as a problem. And there were others he rejected outright [laughs].
When did you know that the project would work – and could go to market?
Cosima: The key point was when we knew that partners wanted to go into series with our system in their e-bikes. This showed us as project managers that we not only have a good product, but a product that also impresses people outside our companies. We are very grateful to our launch partners – the brands of the ZEG Group, Tout Terrain and Simplon – for having placed this trust in us.
What does the development of the Motor.Gearbox.Unit mean for the future of e-bike drive technology in general? To what extent can the MGU be called the drive of the future?
Cosima: If you listen to the media and talk to experts, you can believe that this is the case. This is all the more true since there is a very broad range of applications in which an integrated system with a motor and gears can be used to great effect. But we are also realistic here: In the long term, we will certainly not be the only ones offering such a system.
Peter: At the moment, the MGU is located in the higher price segment. History shows, however, that high-quality technology eventually moves into other price segments. This is also something you need to bear in mind when talking about the long-term development of the market.
Finally, a look into the crystal ball: In addition to the MGU, can consumers look forward to further cooperation between FIT and Pinion?
Peter: The MGU is certainly not a closed chapter for us. And I can definitely reveal that we are already working on additional features and updates for the MGU that will be released in the near future.
Cosima: Absolutely. Unfortunately, we are not yet allowed to reveal more here. But the MGU marks only the beginning of our ongoing collaboration.
Cosima and Peter, thank you so much for the interesting conversation.
Would you like more information about Pinion MGU – running on FIT? With the following link you will find everything you need to know about the revolutionary drive with FIT system integration:
05.10.2023