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The JD Group has revealed what it calls ‘Automatic Gear Transmission’, set to feature on electric bikes employing the group’s tech going forwards.
The automatic gear shifting system has been designed to deliver ‘peak electric support’ at all times. The cyclist can choose between a fully-automatic or semi-automatic mode to effortlessly change gears. At Eurobike 2011, JD will present the development of this technology in detail to the bicycle industry for introduction in model year 2012.
AGT is computer-controlled and designed exclusively for e-bikes. The system constantly calculates the optimal gear ratio to smoothly shift to the precise gear necessary to keep the rider at an ideal cadence.
“AGT is an outstanding innovation that will further boost the e-bike’s acceptance among casual cyclists. By merging this new automatic gearing system with TranzX PST, we are maximising the potential of e-bikes to their fullest capacity. This is a logical and forward-looking development that will generate new impulses and opportunities for the e-bike market,” said Johnson Cho, CEO of the JD Group.
The system was designed with energy efficiency in mind, with over or undershifting being a particular drain on an e-bike’s resources. With greater power reserves gained through the automatic system, JD Group’s tests are said to have achieved greater distances per charge, as well as better acceleration performance.
The Winora Group will be the first to launch e-bike models equipped with JD’s AGT technology during Eurobike 2011. These fully automatic TranzX PST powered e-bikes will be available to dealers for 2012 under the Winora Comfort Series or under the Hercules Touring Series.
Technical features and functions
The AGT technology consists of hardware components including a handlebar operating unit and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) with an integrated micro-processor and software.
Located directly next to the grip, the operating and display unit allows the user to easily disable or enable the automatic function while a compact LED screen displays the active gear. In manual mode, the rider can shift gears electronically by touching an up or down button.
The ECU with its integrated computer chip receives and processes the different digital sensor data (rpm, speed, torque and tilt sensor) to analyze the actual riding condition and pedal cadence. The software then determines the appropriate gear and forwards a command to the actuator, which causes the shift cable to physically engage the gear.
