Newly Unveiled Electric Bike Motor Is ‘World’s Lightest, Most Efficient’

TQ, the German engineering powerhouse known for its quiet, compact e-bike motors, has done it again—this time with the HPR40, the world’s lightest and most efficient mid-drive motor. It weighs in at an astonishing 1.17 kg (2.6 lb), nearly halving the already lightweight HPR60.

Despite its compact form, the HPR40 still delivers a respectable 40 Nm of torque and up to 200W of peak power, hitting a sweet spot for riders who value efficiency and subtlety over brute force. It’s not designed for heavy-duty mountain bikes or high-powered commuters; it’s for discerning cyclists who want electric assist that feels almost invisible.

This philosophy extends beyond performance. The HPR40 isn’t a repurposed mountain bike motor it was engineered from scratch to seamlessly fit into slim, lightweight bike frames. TQ’s signature Harmonic Pin-Ring Transmission lies at the heart of this innovation, replacing traditional gears with a friction-reducing, lag-free system that’s so compact and quiet, it’s barely noticeable even to the trained eye.

The motor pairs with a 290Wh battery that weighs just 1.46 kg (3.2 lb) and sits neatly inside the downtube. Riders who crave more range can add a 160Wh bottle-style range extender, keeping the entire system under 2.7 kg (6 lbs), one of the lightest fully integrated e-bike powertrains ever built.

In keeping with TQ’s minimalist ethos, the controls are hidden beneath the handlebar tape, while a clean, unobtrusive LED cap display gives just the essentials. The whole system is a masterclass in stealth and simplicity, with New Atlas even joking that it might reignite fears of “mechanical doping” because it’s that discreet.

The HPR40 has already made its production debut in the Canyon Endurace: ONFly, a high-performance e-road bike weighing just 9.9 kg (21.8 lb). That’s lighter than many standard road bikes and makes it easy to forget there’s an electric motor onboard until you start climbing.

With a torque density that effectively doubles a rider’s output, the HPR40 isn’t about blowing past everyone on the trail; it’s about giving you a second wind, making long rides longer and tough climbs easier, without compromising the natural feel of pedaling.