Shimano has announced two new e-bike motors: the EP5 and E5100. Shimano says they combine reliable performance, excellent value and innovative technology.
The EP5 is rated at 60Nm of maximum torque and weighs 3kg, while the E5100 has a maximum torque output of 50Nm and weighs 2.4kg. It looks like these two motors are intended for urban e-bikes and sport e-bikes.
The EP5 system can also take advantage of Shimano's "Auto Shift" function, which has been a feature in Shimano STEPS units since 2016. Shimano says the unit is very quiet in operation and is designed to achieve an ideal balance between human and electric assistance. If it were lighter, we'd say it could be a competitor to the likes of the TQ-HPR50 system, which is often seen on lightweight e-mountain bikes and is also designed to create a natural riding feel on the trails.
Weighing in at 2.4kg, the E5100 system is an upgrade from the E5000, which was Shimano's more entry-level urban mid-drive motor. Again, it can take advantage of autoshifting, but only on internally geared bikes.
Beyond that, there's the EP801 – the EP801 is a newer version of the EP800, weighing in at 2.6kg and offering a maximum torque of 85Nm. It's most commonly used on e-MTBs and even some e-cargo bikes, and can use freeshift technology. For the E5100, there's the E6100 and E7000 to go up against. Both have a maximum torque of 60Nm, and the E5100 weighs nearly 500g less than the other options.
At the moment, Shimano is remaining tight-lipped, but by the looks of it, they're definitely targeting lighter urban e-bikes. The E5100 is certainly lighter than its predecessor and other models in the urban/sport range, but that's not the case with the EP5, and it lacks the peak torque of the EP6 and EP8.
With that in mind, these motors could be used on a variety of bikes, from e-commuters to e-gravel road bikes. Shimano says they're readily available, so we can assume they'll be more cost-effective than the EP6+ models. So perhaps they'll fit into more affordable e-bikes in the future.
