Background
Demand for electric bicycles – e-bikes – has skyrocketed, and all indications are that it will continue to be a fast-growing market. In many regions, consumers began adopting ebikes as an affordable, sustainable and convenient alternative for short car or public transportation journeys. Then came the pandemic and the worldwide explosion of demand for leisure and sports equipment. And in 2022, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, gas prices rose dramatically, adding more demand for less expensive, less-polluting ways to get around. All this has coincided with falling prices for Li-ion batteries. These trends have created new opportunities for e-bike manufacturers worldwide and especially in Europe, where they are commonly used for delivery in addition to personal transport and hobbies like mountain biking.
As the market expands, e-bikes with varied types of motors and capabilities are needed to meet various consumer needs and price ranges. E-bikes based on pedal assist (also called pedelec) technology are the most common. Pedal assist motors are light and compact, sitting within the hollow bicycle shaft. They include both electronics (PCBAs) and torque sensors for sensing how much force the rider is contributing and how much needs to be added.
The torque sensor can use strain gauge or magneto-restrictive technology. With VPG’s leadership in strain gauge technology, we offer e-bike manufacturers numerous advantages in terms of both performance and logistics.
The challenge
Since e-bikes are battery operated, low power consumption is a key requirement for the torque sensor, along with high accuracy, ease of calibration, and low susceptibility to noise. This, in turn, impacts the impedance and resistance requirements for the torque sensor strain gauges.
E-bikes usually require four bonded strain gauges weighing mere milligrams each, although high-end bikes often have eight, to enable higher levels of accuracy. The strain gauges in an e-bike meet a variety of needs and each type has unique specifications.
E-bike manufacturers often use different suppliers for each component in the motor—the PCBA, the strain gauges, communication technology, and cables—using 5-6 suppliers to source what can be 50+ parts. Integrating the various parts from different suppliers can be a challenge. Furthermore, severe supply chain problems mean that it isn’t always possible to source all the parts needed on demand, especially parts that are produced internationally.
The challenge
VPG offers customized bonded strain gauges for all e-bike needs, leveraging 70 years of expertise in the strain gauge industry to offer a reliable and cost-efficient solution for all e-bike requirements.
Using high-impedance, high-resistance strain gauges, VPG can significantly reduce the overall power consumption of e-bikes. VPG’s solution, based on strain gauges rather than magneto restrictive technology, is less sensitive to noise, more precise, more power-efficient, and easier to calibrate than alternatives. It eliminates the need for recalibration, saving time and money in the long run and reducing hassle for both manufacturers and end customers.
Not only can VPG deliver any type of e-bike strain gauge, but the company also offers an all-in-one, custom-built solution that includes the hollow shaft, the electronics, the strain gauge and bonding, and the cable. The company has production facilities and sales offices in multiple locations around the world, reducing the risk of supply chain problems while offering the advantages of a single-supplier complete solution.
The solution: All-in-one e-bike motor product with improved power consumption
VPG offers customized bonded strain gauges for all e-bike needs, leveraging 70 years of expertise in the strain gauge industry to offer a reliable and cost-efficient solution for all e-bike requirements.
Using high-impedance, high-resistance strain gauges, VPG can significantly reduce the overall power consumption of e-bikes. VPG’s solution, based on strain gauges rather than magneto restrictive technology, is less sensitive to noise, more precise, more power-efficient, and easier to calibrate than alternatives. It eliminates the need for recalibration, saving time and money in the long run and reducing hassle for both manufacturers and end customers.
Not only can VPG deliver any type of e-bike strain gauge, but the company also offers an all-in-one, custom-built solution that includes the hollow shaft, the electronics, the strain gauge and bonding, and the cable. The company is based in Germany and the product is manufactured in Europe, reducing the risk of supply chain problems on international routes such as recent ones caused by the war in Ukraine or extreme lockdowns in China.
Benefits
- 70+ years of expertise in the strain gauge industry is leveraged to meet unique needs and specifications
- High impedance gauges significantly reduce power consumption
- Free development and testing samples
- Reliable, stable, and lightweight products
- Easy to install and calibrate
- Produced in Europe for simple sourcing
- All-in-one package that minimizes integration and supply chain challenges
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Learn more about force sensor solutions for e-bikes.