Evian/Berlin (July 15, 2022) Spectacular action on Lake Geneva: Inspired by the famous car race in Le Mans, a pedal boat with Brose e-bike drive circumnavigated the lake in 24 hours. Four young competitive athletes took turns pedaling the 131-kilometer route at the end of June. The start and finish of the "24 heures sur Léman" was the town of Evian in France. A record was set when they crossed the finish line after 24 hours and 20 minutes.

The idea for the boat with electric motor assistance came from René Bouverat, co-owner of Alpes Factory, a French manufacturer of precision mechanics. As a supplier to Brose, Bouverat was familiar with the company's e-bike drives. The stress of a 24-hour operation was intended to prove the performance and resilience of the Brose drive.

Based on the high-torque Drive S_Alu variant, the partners developed a pedal drive that also makes everyday riding easier for any age group. The technically unchanged e-bike drive with 90 Newton meters of torque sits on the pedal axle of the pedal boat, just like on a bicycle. Power is supplied by the Brose Battery 630. Alpes Factory integrated the splash-proof drive into a standard pedal boat and now offers the system as a retrofit kit.

"The race was a huge success! The Brose motor reliably delivered top performance for 24 hours under full load, i.e. in an extreme load situation. From the development phase to the finish, the project was an exciting challenge," explains Dr. Thomas Leicht, former head of Brose e-bike drives. Brose will use the knowledge gained to further develop its e-bike systems.

About Brose Drive Technology

Brose e-bike systems offer the right solution for every application – whether in city, trekking or mountain bikes. The family-owned company has transferred its decades of experience as a supplier of electric motors for the automotive industry to the bicycle. At the e-bike competence center in Berlin, more than 150 employees develop and produce drives that are used in models from over 50 manufacturers worldwide. Together with specially developed displays, battery and the Brose app, the drives form a perfectly coordinated system, enabling a particularly harmonious riding experience.