Porsche – the company behind Fazua lightweight drive systems – cites a fundamentally changed market.
Porsche has announced the closure of Porsche eBike Performance GmbH, the subsidiary it created after acquiring Fazua in 2022. The move affects around 360 employees across Porsche eBike Performance’s sites in Ottobrunn and Zagreb, and forms part of a wider strategic realignment that also sees Cellforce Group GmbH and Cetitec GmbH discontinued – more than 500 jobs lost across the three subsidiaries in total.
Porsche cited “fundamentally changed market conditions for e-bike drive systems” as the reason for winding down the operation. That’s a significant understatement of what has happened to the e-bike motor market over the past 18 months. *cough* AVINOX *cough*
Dr. Michael Leiters, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche, was direct in the announcement: “We must refocus on our core business. This is the indispensable foundation for a successful strategic realignment. This forces us to make painful cuts – including our subsidiaries.”
Fazua’s troubled run
When Porsche acquired Fazua, on paper it made sense: Fazua’s Ride 60 system had genuine appeal for the growing lightweight eMTB segment, and the backing of a major automotive brand promised the investment needed to develop it properly. Brands including Haibike, Cube, Canyon, Santa Cruz and YT were among those building bikes around the Fazua system.
In practice, the Ride 60 endured a difficult few years. Reliability issues plagued early production batches, and the system accumulated something of a reputation as the problem child of the lightweight motor category. More recent batches reportedly resolved those teething problems but the damage to the brand’s reputation was done.
The DJI earthquake
The bigger shock to the entire e-bike motor market came when DJI entered the e-MTB motor space with the Avinox system. With 1,000W of peak power and 120Nm of maximum torque, it moved the goalposts entirely. Crucially, the Avinox didn’t just deliver brute force; it delivers its assistance smoothly, raising questions not just about peak numbers but about what the entire eMTB motor category should be doing.
For a lightweight, relatively low-torque system like the Fazua Ride 60, competing in a market suddenly electrified by DJI’s numbers was a significant challenge. And it wasn’t just DJI, Fazua’s ouright rival – TQ – revealed the ultra-compact HPR50 carved out the premium quiet-motor niche.
What happens to Fazua-powered bikes?
That’s the question that will concern a number of riders in the short term. It’s a fair worry given the business is being discontinued rather than sold.
We put the question directly to Porsche. A spokesperson told us: “FAZUA customers and dealers will continue to have long-term access to spare parts and service. Further information will be announced shortly.”
That’s reassuring as far as it goes, though “further information will be announced shortly” suggests the full picture isn’t yet settled. We’ll update this story as that becomes clearer. If you’re riding a Fazua-powered bike and have specific concerns, your dealer is still the best first port of call.
Buys Fazua, closes Fazua. There has to be a better way.
Is this the first ‘victim’ of Avinox?
Edit, I should read the article before posting!!!
The pity is, the Fazua motor is really good when it is working. I love mine. I’ve only tried a Bosch powered bike other than my Fazua bike. Didn’t like it all in comparison. Gutted that Fazua is gone.
Seems a shame but as a newly e-bike curious punter the Fazua equipped bikes haven’t registered even a tiny blip on my radar. You’d have thought there’s money to be made in full fat motors though which they should be able to develop? Saying that, seems the market is settling down to Bosch or Avinox so is it really worth the effort and expense to even try?