Mahle adding new apps for e-bikes

Mahle SmartBike Systems has added new apps to its connective drive concept. The e-bike business of the Stuttgart automotive supplier is looking to address the specific needs of all user groups. There will be tailor-made apps for each of these groups: “MySmartBike” for bikers, “SmartBike Lab” for dealerships, and “Production” for e-bike manufacturers. The customer and dealership applications will be available from the App Store and Google Play Store for iOS and Android, while manufacturers can get the app from their sales contact. All three apps can also be used on a desktop PC, where the user interface appears as a dashboard and includes additional functions.

The MySmartBike app for bikers raises the interaction between bike and rider to a new level. It provides charge status monitoring and other information about the bike in real-time. It can also record training cycles and routes and lets the rider optimize training programs by recording displaying, and analyzing various parameters, including gradient, heart rate and measured times. The boost level from the motor can be regulated based on the biker’s heart rate. If the heart rate exceeds the recommended range, then the motor output is increased, Mahle says.

The SmartBike Lab app lets dealerships optimize their after-sales services, with fast and customer-oriented diagnostics, setup and training of new components, Mahle says. The Production app helps manufacturers trace the path of the smart bike from shipment to the dealership to the initial ride by the end-user. All three apps offer advanced functions via the respective web dashboard. Information such as health data, topography of routes traveled, or trip information can be retrieved and connected to third-party services such as Strava, a social network for tracking athletic activities.

BorgWarner has agreed to acquire the electric vehicle solution, smart grid and smart energy businesses of Hubei Surpass Sun Electric (SSE). The transaction has an enterprise value of up to RMB 410 million (approx. $59.36 million).

Headquartered in Xiangyang, Hubei province, China, SSE’s electrification business supplies patented electric vehicle charging solutions to customers in China and more than 70 other countries. SSE says it has delivered over 50,000 charging points and has led the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of more than 250 charging station sites. SSE’s charging and electrification capabilities in China are expected to complement BorgWarner’s existing capabilities in Europe and North America, the companies say. SSE’s 2022 revenues for the electrification business are expected to be approximately RMB 180 million (approx. $26.06 million).