October 22, 2023 - Bafang Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of complete e-drive systems and components for e-mobility, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. First launched in 2003, the global company focuses on all e-mobility trends for e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, and e-scooters for personal and commercial use, along with public bike-sharing schemes.

At Eurobike 2023 in Frankfurt, Bafang hosted a party at their booth to recognize this company milestone and to thank their many supporters, customers, employees and friends. “We extend a special thanks and are grateful to all of you for supporting us over the years,” said company President and Managing Director, Qinghua Wang.

Wang’s business career began after he graduated from the Harbin Institute of Technology back in 1988, where he majored in micro- motor control. Working at various companies over the next decade, he gained valuable experience in both motor design and manufacturing. His focus then turned to the application of brushed circuit board reduction motors in the field of electric bicycles.

In 2003, Wang established Suzhou Bafang Motor Technology Co., Ltd. with co-founder Xianbing He, and thus began a journey that would see the new company become a Chinese powerhouse in the world of two-wheeled e-mobility.

The next year, Bafang began exploring business in the European market. In 2005, it unveiled its first hub motor for e-bikes.

Soon after Yu Zhenhua joined the company as a director, and Bafang began developing its own expertise in-house, as management understood that e-bike power systems included the motor and other complex components such as controllers, e-bike sensors and batteries. By training their own personnel, they could manufacture complete systems in-house to become more self- sufficient and have better control over the various technologies needed and their costs, while gaining a competitive advantage.

Aiming to expand overseas, the company opened a subsidiary in the Netherlands in 2011 to tackle the lucrative European market. In 2012, Bafang Electric developed its first-generation mid-mounted motor system, and with this breakthrough successfully entered the mid-to-high-end e-bike market.

Three short years later, the Bafang team won the German 24-hour Rally championship, out-pacing well- established competitors along with other teams, demonstrating the strength of its electric power-assist system on the world stage.

In 2017, Bafang established a U.S. subsidiary in California. The following year, they took home another victory in Japan that saw Bafang’s M400 system win the first JNCC simulated cross- country competition championship. Also in 2018, Bafang Electric’s M800 motor won the German Design Award, and the company established an office in Germany.

That same year, Bafang began a sponsorship with the CST PostNL Bafang MTB Racing Team in collaboration with American Eagle MTB under the leadership of Bart Brentjens, the Dutch former Olympic gold medallist

Along the way, Bafang set up its own R&D division with special teams for batteries, motors, controllers, sensors and integration projects, which allowed the company to optimize its operations. Boasting 343 patents, their R&D division currently represents 25% of the company’s 1200+ employees worldwide, and Bafang’s investment in R&D ranks among the best in the industry.

In Sept. 2019, Bafang opened its first production facility outside of China, in Wroclaw, Poland, a location that offered excellent logistics, supplier and traffic infrastructure. Two months later in Nov., on Double 11, China’s (and the world’s) biggest shopping festival, the company successfully listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and Bafang Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. became its new official name.

Bafang’s plant in Poland represented a first-phase investment of approximately $16 million with a staff of around 50 employees. Two assembly lines catered to the production of the company’s most important mid-drive systems: M400, M420 and M300. The company also hoped to shorten delivery lead times from six to four months, with a gradual reduction to two months.

“We are very excited to be investing here in Poland,” said Wang at the opening. “This day signifies the beginning of a long relationship between us and the communities of Kobierzyce, Wroclaw and the Lower Silesia region. We are greatly appreciative of all the support we’ve received from the community to make this multi-million-dollar investment become a reality.”

Meanwhile, Germany saw the official renaming of its subsidiary there to Bafang Electric GmbH in 2020, with successes including a move to much larger facilities, while extending the range of its activities and adding new personnel.

In 2021, a third wholly owned subsidiary in China called Bafang New Energy (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. was established to develop and produce high-end batteries.

In May 2022, Bafang Electric shifted its race marketing activities to Italy. The company partnered with Agazzini Bikes and their factory racing team, outfitting their eMTBs with Bafang’s powerful M510 motors that deliver 95Nm of torque.

Then in July 2022, the SGS Standard Technical Service Co., Ltd. certified that Bafang’s laboratory met the high-quality requirements of testing procedures, including the laboratory’s test environment, equipment and personnel professionalism, along with the accuracy and reproducibility of test results.

A month later, Bafang completed the building of an Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) laboratory, becoming one of the few companies in the global electric systems industry to own such a facility.

In fall 2022, Bafang introduced its new IOT system consisting of a module, the Bafang Go+ app and the Cloud to deliver a new level of e-bike connectivity and interaction. The IOT housing is small, versatile and flexible according to the manufacturer’s frame specifications.

In 2023, the company launched its latest venture, a T&D division that is focused on the sphere of e-motorcycles. “After 20 years in the cycling industry, Bafang remains a brand committed to providing innovative technology and unique riding experiences — T&D represents a confident step towards new opportunities and green mobility solutions. We are incredibly excited to share this new venture with Bafang partners and fans,” states the T&D website.

The company’s current lineup for e-bike systems is impressive with 11 M-Series (mid) motors, 12 H-Series (rear hub) motors, 3 H-Series (front hub) motors, 14 batteries, 8 LCD and 4 LED displays.

Bafang Electric operates sales and service centres in the Netherlands, the USA, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland and China.

All of Bafang’s production sites are ISO 9001 certified. Their products are RoHS-compliant for hazardous materials and have the CE label meeting European health, safety and environmental protection standards. The production process is also accompanied by continuous quality controls, and all components are carefully tested during production.

“Bafang’s goal is to produce innovative and high-quality products for our customers that make a tangible contribution to their riding comfort. Our employees are dedicated to this aim. We embrace every challenge and strive to develop new ground-breaking products that set new standards,” commented Wang.

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