Bosch’s latest e-bike system update is here, and it’s a good one, aimed squarely at making the standard Kiox display a whole lot smarter. Called Dynamic Display it works on the Kiox 300 and 500 displays and will deliver more useful riding data according to where you are in your ride.

There’s also now much greater customisation to be had out of the eBike Flow app, which has been very conservative in its usefulness. Now though you can tweak the power modes on your e-bike, and effectively bin off those you find unhelpful. It’ll help Bosch maintain its position as one of the best e-bike motors powering your bike today.

Heart rate, speed, distance, elevation… the new e-bike system lets you display this kind of information on your Kiox display, as well as the Flow app

Alongside this Bosch is also introducing something called Battery Checker, which lets you assess second hand units for any previously identified issues. E-bike’s are now the fastest growing cause of fire in the capital, according to the London Fire Brigade, so this is a great move from Bosch.

It’s also launching a whopping new PowerPack 800Wh battery. The sad news though is Bosch has designed this as an external-only option for cargo-style bikes, rather than the usual PowerTube battery, which remains at 750Wh in its biggest size and powers some of the best electric mountain bikes out there.

Bikes like the Bosch-powered Orbea Wild M-Team will benefit from the latest updates

The updates come only a couple of months after the last round of updates, which included improvements to e-bike security and in-app theft reporting.

Bosch make some of the torquiest eMTB motors on the market, alongside their latest lightweight setup – the SX. As well as eMTBs the units are popular across all types of e-bikes. So if you’re one of the users of the latest drive units, here’s what you can expect in your next over-the-air update from some of the best e-bike motor systems around, and what the new battery means for your eMTB.

Bosch’s eBike System updates and battery launch need to know

• New ‘Dynamic Display’ on Kiox 300 and 500
• More ride mode customisation
• External heart rate information now visible on Kiox displays and eBike Flow app
• Displays for performance data, elevation graphs and ride mode usage
• New 800Wh PowerPack frame battery
• Option to double up on certain batteries and offering extra range
• New battery checker tool for second hand sales

Dynamic Display

Much like on your Garmin when you’re following a course and a hill comes up, your Bosch Kiox 300 and 500 displays can now automatically display information relevant to your ride. This could be inclines, personal performance, cadence or elevation covered.

It can also change your screen to focus on speed when you approach a downhill section. When on the flat, the screen can show things like distance travelled, speed, and range overview.

If you’re sitting stationary, the display will now automatically project data from the current ride, like average speed, distance travelled, trip time, current range, elevation and maximum speed.

Performance data and HR monitoring

Some of the latest upgrades are narrowing the divide between dedicated bike computers and e-bike displays more than ever. This includes the addition of heart rate monitor compatibility on the Kiox 300 and 500 displays as well as the eBike Flow app.

Riders can now see their current heart rate on screen whilst riding. In addition, further performance data such as an elevation graph can now be viewed mid-ride. This shows the progress riders are making along their route and the remaining terrain to be tackled.

If you’re a bit of a motor nerd and want to understand what modes you’re spending your time in, then the new riding mode usage screen will be of use. It does what it says on the tin, and in pie chart form shows you which modes you’ve been using and for how long. Riders can now also view a ‘power share’ screen which shows how much power you put out compared to the drive unit performance.

Ride mode customisation

Perhaps the most relevant to electric mountain bike riders is the new ability to switch out what ride modes you would like to be available for your bike. Previously, this was only something the manufacturer could do – but now, it’s up to you.

This means that if you think Eco mode is a waste of time and would prefer something like Auto mode, then you can swap them out in the eBike Flow app.

E-bike Flow app users and download the latest update over the air for their e-bikes now.

The PowerPack 800 is Bosch’s largest battery, we’re hoping it’ll offer it as an internal battery option too, in time

Bigger battery, more range for the bike park

Ever felt like your 725Wh battery just wasn’t providing you with enough range? Well, Bosch seems to think it’s a problem as the brand has just announced the launch of an 800Wh PowerPack option. Designed for things like electric cargo bikes, we’re sure it’ll still be welcome among those electric mountain bike riders who want a bit more range.

It has the same dimensions as the PowerPack 725, and weighs 3.9kg. It also uses the same mounts as other Bosch frame batteries, making it interchangeable.

Bosch has also been working on making their different batteries cross-compatible so they can be used in a dual-working setup. This means for example that a PowerTube battery can be combined with another PowerTube as opposed to a dedicated range extender. If, for example, you wanted to make your eMTB an absolute range machine, then you could (in theory) lump two PowerPack 800 batteries on your e-bike and have a combined capacity of 1,600Wh, which Bosch estimates would lead to a range of almost 300 kilometres.

DualBattery doesn’t mean they can’t work without each other, however. So if one completely drains or you forget to reconnect one after charging, the other will still work as a sole battery.

Buyer beware with second hand batteries

Electric bike batteries aren’t exactly the cheapest things to replace, but when you look for second hand options, it can be difficult to tell whether it is in good condition. Bosch is trying to take the guesswork out of the equation, with the introduction of the battery check tool. This lets users check a battery online by using the serial number. It determines whether the used battery is visible in the Bosch database and can tell you if it’s been opened or is defective.

Adding onto battery safety, the brand has launched a battery guide, which contains information for users on e-bike batteries. It includes things like how to charge them safely, how to transport them, and how to recycle them.

For more information on the battery guide, read it on the Bosch website.