At Eurobike 2025, ZF revealed a significant improvement to their incredibly small CentriX e-bike drive system, which now has a peak power of 750 watts and a torque of 105 Nm. Through the ZF Ride app, riders may also choose between three new ride profiles that optimise performance for racing, rainy conditions, or everyday use.
The improved CentriX e-bike propulsion technology highlights the German supplier’s expanding micromobility goals. The small mid-drive motor still has a 2.5-kilogram form factor, which is about the size of a drink can, and can now produce up to 105 Newton metres of torque and 750 watts of peak power.
The recently upgraded “ZF Ride” app offers preset ride profiles that can be used to access the new performance levels, which are unlocked through software. With just a tap, ZF claims that three modes—Race, Wet, and Ride—are made to modify motor behaviour to suit various usage situations. The firmware update can also be used to improve CentriX units that are currently on the market.
Riders looking to perform at their best in dry circumstances are the target of the “Race” profile. The drive system responds instantly in this mode, delivering a full 105 Nm torque and 750 W of power. The 25 kph cut-off is precise, providing active riders with an uncompromising experience.
The “Wet” profile, on the other hand, lowers overrun and power delivery to provide improved control on slick surfaces. When cornering on wet surfaces, it is designed to avoid rear wheel spin or loss of traction.
Optimised for mixed use and daily journeys, the “Ride” mode balances rider input with support modulation on a variety of terrains. When a rider exerts more than 350 W of effort, the motor automatically modifies its aid ratio according to input power, providing complete support. The drive offers the most help while in “Boost” mode, with overrun adjusted based on speed.
Critical motor parameters are impacted by all profiles, including peak output, power scaling at top speed, starter sensitivity, and overrun (within the 2-metre legal limit). ZF attests that the system remembers the profile that was last used at startup.
Daniel Haerter, Head of ZF’s Micro Mobility business unit, stated, “With the new riding profiles, users can adjust their ZF drive even better and faster to their respective application.” “We extract the best performance from our now even more potent drive for normal driving conditions by using the software.”
In the spring of 2025, the CentriX drive system went into series production. ZF is pitching its CentriX system as a fully adaptive e-bike platform by implementing app-based ride profiling. This is an increasingly important feature in a maturing market where user customisation and performance adjustment are crucial differentiators.
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