Interview with Jörg Weißleder
If you ask Jörg Weißleder, one of the founders, why a very concrete motivation emerges.
Whether E-Bike desert challenge, trans-alp or day trip – at the end of the day – in addition to route planning, weather and condition, the capacity of the battery decides whether you continue to ride (45 or 180 minutes of charging) or whether it's already over during the lunch break because you have to refuel for around three (3!) hours.
Jörg, what was the initial spark a “propellant”?
My “moment of truth” was day six as a participant in the E Bike Desert Challenge 2020 in Morocco when I was confidently in first place with a lead of around 45 minutes and then still crossed the finish line in second place with a gap of almost 45 minutes. So the idea was born to develop a high performance eMountainBike-Powertrain, which does not exist yet.
Who likes to be second under these conditions – your conclusion, capacity, capacity, capacity?
Under extreme conditions, the overall package of man and machine must be right, and the permanently available energy is of particular importance! That means concretely: Already in the first of the development phase of the IBEXION components, the focus was on durability and reliability even in extreme terrain. Optimal battery performance: Automotive cells with extended cycle life. Optimal setup: Mechanically and electrically extremely stable designs ensure lasting performance – highest reliability as standard.
Your insight: Battery capacity, fast-charging capability and innovative powertrain components make the eBike a real game changer!
Exactly! As M. Jackson so rightly put it: “Don't stop 'til you get enough” ... The trans-alp test with our prototypes shows concretely and practically that a day tour with the following parameters is realistic with only 45 minutes of recharging (twice the capacity, quick charging in a quarter time!): Tour length 100 km, around 5,000 vertical meters uphill and around 5,000 vertical meters downhill. Of course, this does not work with standard components; the driving force, the hardware and software and the biker form a single unit.