If Shimano were to release a more powerful motor, it would likely be something like this Chinese-made model with 850 W of power and 120 Nm of torque

25/10/2026 15:00

Updated to

25/10/2026 15:00

There have been rumors for some time that Shimano is about to release a new motor to regain ground lost recently due to the emergence of highly powerful competitors, including its main rival Bosch. The once-desired EP series (EP8, EP6, and EP5 motors) has somewhat fallen behind.

While the records were quite good not long ago, they are now far too modest, especially for a leading brand like Shimano, which once ensured that nearly half of the electric bikes on the market came equipped with its motors. Today, there isn’t a single new model featuring a Shimano motor. Well, we were surprised to find a Shimano EP8 motor in the recent Honda e-Mtb Concept we discussed a few days ago. Surely, something new will be available at the official launch.

If you’re ‘bored’ with your Shimano, consider getting a Gobao

But we won’t be talking about the X1P, rather the P120, a Gobao motor that is notably almost identical to Shimano’s EP Series, except for its power output levels which rival those of motors like Bosch’s Performance Line CX, Avinox’s M2, or Mahle’s M40. This motor features the following specifications: its maximum power can reach 850 W, and while the torque is 110 Nm, it increases to 120 Nm in boost mode.

"The P120 incorporates sensors for pedaling force, cadence, and speed, which makes the power assistance provided by the motor unit very natural" (Gobao).

The most notable aspect is its architecture, which is very similar to Shimano’s EP Series, with the motor mounts aligning perfectly. On top of that, Gobao’s BT600 battery is compatible with the Shimano 630 Wh battery.

All of this has even been utilized by some bicycle manufacturers who offer a kit consisting of the motor itself, battery, and everything needed to transform their bicycles equipped with Shimano motors into more modern versions using this Gobao P120. For example, the German company Alutech sells a kit to replace Shimano motors with Gobao ones for 1,999 euros.

This kind of 'leveraging' must accelerate, absolutely, the rollout of Shimano’s new motor that has been delayed longer than expected. It’s true that the Japanese company has a reputation that ensures the new motor won’t start from scratch like many newer products coming from China, but it’s also true that this has given others too much room to establish themselves. From our perspective, it will be difficult to displace Avinox unless Shimano fights back with similar strengths.

But given how the Japanese manufacturer typically does things in its own way, it is likely to try to regain ground with a differentiated product rather than a copy. More information available at: Gobao P120