We already shared news of the key Shimano EP810 motor upgrades on the Honda RN0, earlier this week: 100Nm, 750W, 43V, and just 2.3kg. But now, we have the official name of the latest EP8 generation – EP810 being the big secret reveal. And there are quite a few more interesting details to explore, especially about new Auto Shift and Auto Assist features.
Plus, we can dive deeper into what drove Shimano’s development as the eMTB market dukes it out in superpower wars.
Let’s just start with What’s new?
Shimano outlines 5 key updates in EP810 vs. previous generation EP801:
- The new quieter DU-EP810 motor now puts out 100Nm of max torque and 750W of peak power.
- Its flipped motor configuration is more compact overall for improved ground clearance, with a magnesium motor housing cutting weight almost 15%, down to a claimed 2.3kg.
- True Auto is Shimano’s new eBike ride concept, combining improved automatic shifting functionality (updated Auto Shift) with automatically adjusting pedal-assist support levels (all-new Auto Assist).
- With the extra power comes smoother power delivery and more control, including new features like hill start assist, Lift & Shift for changing gears after a dead stop, and a more customizable Shimano Connect app.
- New system integration adds a much more useful toptube display with USB-C connection, tidy wireless controller, plus upgraded batteries and chargers.
What was Shimano thinking with these power numbers?
Looking at the raw numbers, our first question was why. When Shimano was updating their ebike system from the ground up, why did they stop at this relatively modest power upgrade while other motor manufacturers have gone much higher? (For reference, real figures from most direct ebike competition average ~120Nm of torque, and peak power numbers ranging from 850-1500W.)
A “Shimano spokesman” explained to me that they set the upper limit for EP810 at 100Nm & 750W “because a balance of power, control, ride feel, efficiency, and durability were prioritized over headline power numbers.” The brand’s “long-standing philosophy” is that an eMTB is supposed to still feel like a mountain bike when you ride it, “not like a motorcycle”. Shimano thinks it is critical to preserve “the essence of cycling” even when you are on a full-power ebike. “When you ride, it should still feel like your effort is driving the bike. Not the system.“
That’s definitely a philosophy that I can get behind, personally. But at a time in the industry when so many new bike buying decisions seem to be made just by looking for the biggest motor output numbers on a spec sheet, it does make us wonder how bike manufacturers and customers will respond. We asked Shimano what bike brands we should expect to see adopt the new EP810 motor. They were pretty non-committal about giving away too much, other than saying they “are seeing interest in the EP810 platform across the industry“. For now, we know of Honda that we reported on earlier in the week, plus a new Orbea Rise that also gets the new Shimano motor.
Shimano EP810: 750W, 100Nm ebike motor
While those key numbers aren’t quite as high as some of the competition (cough: Avinox), EP8 is still the top of Shimano’s ebike powertrain. Also, those figures are really a noticeable upgrade over EP801. And let’s be honest, plenty to keep it firmly in the full-power eMTB segment.
What they were really going for here were improvements in control, ride feel, and all-around usability.
True Auto: Auto Shift v3, Free Shift, and Trail+ Auto Assist
Automating the ride was a big driver for Shimano in EP810: “when to shift, how much support to use, and how to adapt to changing terrain“. True Auto is a move to tame that by monitoring cadence, rider input toque, motor output torque, bike speed & terrain gradient, then “smoothly and almost invisibly” changing power output and shifting to adapt.
Here, a 3rd-gen Auto Shift uses upgraded sensors and an updated algorithm to better match its automated shifts to real-world trail conditions. Plus, the Shimano Connect app now lets you adjust your preferred cadence (in a limited range) to better suit your own riding style.
Frankly, I don’t really like to give up shifting control to the machine. So while I respect the capability of Auto Shift, I prefer to leave it off, even in this latest update. I did try it a bit on the new Honda RN0, and it works well once you adjust it to your own ride preference. But I still like to hit that Di2 shift paddle. Free Shift is great and still there all the time, though. And that’s really the best auto-shifting feature of Shimano’s ebike+Di2 integration in my book, anyway.
What I did appreciate was the new Auto Assist mode called Trail+. Essentially a smarter Auto power mode, Shimano takes all that sensor data to vary assist level to match your real needs on the trail. I really appreciate a good Auto mode on an eMTB for regular riding. And this one works really well, dialing back power when you go downhill, while still letting you pick the power range you prefer.
It’s even smart enough to offer some traction control functionality by detecting wheel slip or front wheel lift, and reducing/smoothing power output to adapt.
New peripherals, too
There’s a lot more new to the updated Shimano EP810 family. Part of that’s a new D-Fly+ wireless protocol. It’s faster, more secure, and annoyingly not backwards compatible – a sign of a new broader Shimano ‘connected ecosystem’ to come.
One key new bit is upgraded displays. I liked the new color, non-touch 2.2″ SC-EN700 display in the toptube of the Honda, which offered a lot of easy-to-read info, two tactile buttons, and an optional USB-C charging port. There’s also a new EC-EM810 version of the old-style bar-mounted display, now with more data and full color.
Another new piece of hardware is the nice new wireless 3-button assist switch, so you don’t have to worry with cables anymore, and can easily control the new displays.
720Wh internal batteries and chargers are also all-new (and not backwards compatible) with the switch to a higher 43V system voltage that promises faster charging and quicker motor power delivery. There’s a standard 2A and a more powerful 4A fast-charger, too.
EP810 Q&A with Shimano ebike Product Planner, Henry Bosch
First off, yes, that is the name of Shimano head of planning for ebike system development.
And yes, that’s hilarious.
I wanted to know more about the new EP810 system and some of its design choices, and Shimano was happy to explain.
Why flip the motor orientation left to right?
“The EP810 uses a completely new architecture built around a larger, more powerful motor. To design a compact drive unit, the motor is positioned on the left side of the system, while the electronic components are positioned on the right. This layout supports the performance requirements of the EP810 while contributing to a smaller and lighter drive unit.”
“Positioning the motor on the left side also creates more available space within the drive unit structure. This allows the motor housing to sit further outboard, improving cooling performance and helping maintain power under sustained loads. Achieving a similar arrangement on the right side would not have been possible because of the packaging constraints created by the chainring and drivetrain.”
How did the motor lose a claimed 400g (almost 15% reduction)?
“The weight reduction comes from several changes within the drive unit. The larger motor architecture allowed Shimano to redesign the internal gearing arrangement, using shorter and more compact shafts to reduce overall mass.”
“Additional weight savings come from the motor itself, which uses a larger-diameter design with a lighter, hollow internal structure.”
Was weight savings a higher priority than higher torque & power output?
“Development of EP810 focused on achieving the best balance of power, control, efficiency, durability and ride feel, rather than prioritising a single performance metric. Reducing the size and weight of the drive unit was an important objective, as it improves ground clearance and gives bicycle manufacturers greater flexibility when designing frames. At the same time, the EP810 also delivers significant increases in both torque and peak power compared to the previous generation.”
Will brands be able to put the new EP901 motor into existing frames, without new molds?
“While the EP810 retains the same mounting bolt locations as the EP801, the overall shape and dimensions of the drive unit have changed. As a result, most manufacturers will need to update designs to accommodate the new system.”
How does it ride?
Test Riding Shimano EP810 full-power on the Honda RN0
I got to test out the new Shimano EP810 motor over two wet & rainy days in Spain with the Honda RN0. Its EP8 name on the side may be the same. But with more power, more control, a more compact design, and lighter weight, it’s a whole new animal.
Let’s go back to those key stats. The new EP810 cranks out 100Nm of max torque, up 17.6% from EP801. Its peak power now tops 750W, up 25% from the previous generation. And it shifts to a higher 43V system, compared to 36V of the prior EP-801 generation (and most other premium ebikes). Those all lead to a noticeable boost in power feel, and quicker motor response.
No, that’s not the most torquey or most powerful ebike system. But, it might just be the lightest full-power eMTB motor. And I never felt lacking of power. In fact, if I had to guess based on simple math, if the motor power is a bit lower than some competition, you should get a bit more range out of that 720Wh battery, right?
More compact, and more control
As for 400g of weight savings at the magnesium-cased motor, I don’t think that makes much difference on a on a 22-24kg ebike. But the new flipped motor configuration is quite a bit more compact. That means you are less likely to hit it on rocks (chainrings are now more vulnerable though, and might need an extra bashguard). The new motor is also narrower from the front, which looks like it exposes more of the fins on the increased left side, which may improve heat dissipation.
What is important to know, though, is that the new EP8 feels much more powerful than the previous generation. And while the new True Auto controls and in-app adjustability range can be a bit overwhelming, you can definitely customize the performance to how you prefer an eMTB ride to feel.
I’ll be curious to try it out on more eMTB platforms.
