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So the rumors were true – DJI has revealed that it's officially getting into e-bikes by supplying what it calls a "ground-breaking e-bike drive system" for a new electric mountain bike brand called Amflow.
The maker of the world's best drones says that moving into e-bikes is a "natural move" because of the battery and motor tech in its drones and gimbals. DJI's powerful Avinox Drive System will debut in the new Amflow PL, an e-MTB (electric mountain bike) that will be available later this year.
So, what's special about this new Avinox system? It packs in tech typically found on drones and smartphones. For starters, the frame has a 2-inch color OLED touchscreen that delivers real-time riding data, the bike's estimated range, and setup options.
You can also connect to the bike via the Avinox app, which lets you set up an anti-theft mode and check its real-time location. Here, you can also tweak settings like power, torque, and cadence to suit your riding style. Naturally, the bike can give your phone some emergency juice, too.
But there is also some nifty software on board to help with the riding experience. DJI says its Smart-Assist Algorithm taps into various sensors to automatically adjust the amount of electric riding assistance it provides, based on your current riding resistance.
There are four riding modes – Auto, Eco, Trail, and Turbo – plus a Boost mode for an emergency boost of power. Like a drone or smartphone, the two battery options (600Wh or 800Wh) have the latest fast-charging tech, which means the 800Wh battery can apparently be charged from flat to 75% in about 90 minutes.
The Amflow PL itself is also shaping up to be a fairly high-end electric mountain bike, although we don't yet have any idea of pricing. The carbon fibre bike weighs 19.2kg – that's impressive if not quite as light as the Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon (our current top pick for the title of best e-MTB).
Still, the Amsive PL's power-to-size ratio is right up there with the best. It serves up 105Nm of torque with a peak power output of 850W, a pretty monstrous combo that will help riders carve up the toughest trails. The frame is also compatible with both 27.5-inch and 29-inch rear wheels.
Amflow and DJI say the three versions of the bike – the PL Carbon (800Wh), PL Carbon Pro (600Wh), and PL Carbon Pro (800Wh) – will be available by Q4 2024 from dealers in Germany, the UK, and Australia. There's no news yet on US availability or pricing, but we've asked DJI and will update this story if we get confirmation.
What's the deal with DJI and Amflow?
We asked DJI if it owns the new Amflow electric mountain bike brand – a spokesperson told us that Amflow is "incubated by DJI" and the team is "a combination of ex-DJI tech experts and bike industry experts joining together."
While DJI is helping Amflow get off the ground, the drone giant says that as it grows, the brand "will become increasingly more independent." DJI isn't new to supplying its tech to new startups – its drone tech is inside the Ryze Tello, one of the best beginner drones around, while the new Anzu Robotics brand also licenses DJI drone tech.
This could become an increasingly common approach for DJI, as the Chinese brand faces the very real threat of a US ban – a move that DJI has branded "a dangerous precedent for allowing baseless allegations and xenophobic fears."
Still, that US bill is called the Countering CCP Drones Act, so it's unclear if it'd impact Amflow selling an electric mountain bike containing DJI tech in the US. The move into electric mountain bikes is a refreshing one considering DJI's woes with drones, and one that makes a lot of sense considering its impressive motor and battery tech.
DJI is no stranger to leaping into new tech spaces. It has dominated camera gimbals, launched the impressive DJI Mic 2, and taken on GoPro in the battle to make the best action cameras. The combination of its new Avinox system with Amflow's debut bike looks exciting for riders and is one we'll be very keen to take for a spin when it lands later this year.