June 3, 2025 - (Inning am Ammersee, GER) The introduction of the HPR50 Drive System by German technology specialist TQ in 2022 set new standards in the cycling industry and re-shaped a whole class of electric bicycles in the process – Light E-Bikes.
The revolutionary new electric drive system built around TQ’s patented Harmonic Pin-Ring Transmission allowed for the creation of light, compact, incredibly silent, virtually instantly-engaging and natural-feeling E-Bikes. E-Bikes without bulky bottom brackets or gigantic downtubes. E-Bikes that look, sound and – most importantly – feel like analog bikes. Now, in 2025, the brand-new TQ-HPR60 takes all of that and elevates it to a new level.
The new TQ-HPR60 Drive System features a 20% increase in torque as well as 17% increase in motor power and an improved cooling concept all while delivering power even more efficiently and quieter. In addition to the performance gains, the TQ-HPR60 also features improved usability thanks to a sleek new high-resolution color display with extended functions and two new battery options.
Delivering up to 60Nm of torque and 350W of peak power, the new HPR60 Drive Unit is accompanied by a either a 290Wh, a 360Wh or a 580Wh battery, a 2” fully integrated O-LED color display as well as a minimalistic handlebar remote to create the lightest E-Bike system in its category at only 3.525 grams altogether (with 290Wh battery). However important these numbers might seem, though, they actually don’t accurately reflect what the HPR60 Drive System is about – the ride feel.
For TQ and its team of cycling-crazed engineers the development of the TQ-HPR60 has never been about peak torque or power. It’s always been about feeling empowered. It’s about climbing faster and riding longer to enjoy more of what’s most fun without being held back by a massive weight penalty and cumbersome bike. It’s about ripping the downhills with a fun, agile, playful and natural-feeling bike. A bike that looks and sounds like an analog bike but just happens to make riders feel like they’re enjoying the fittest day of their life on the climbs. And that’s exactly why the HPR60 was developed as a Light E-Bike system from the very beginning.
The key to TQ’s E-Bike drive systems is the patented Harmonic Pin-Ring (HPR) Transmission which is the result of TQ’s decades-long experience in the engineering and development of electric motors for robots, satellites, space stations and mars rovers. By redesigning and reengineering the patented Harmonic Pin-Ring technology used in literal Space-Age applications to fit the needs of cyclists, TQ created an extremely light drive unit (1.924 grams) that is quiet, has virtually no lag in engagement, no drag when coasting and allows for seamless and elegant E-Bike system integration.
In essence, the TQ-HPR60 allows bike manufacturers to create super lightweight E-Bikes that look, feel and sound like analog bikes but take you further. It creates E-Mountain Bikes that let riders climb higher and clock more downhills without weighing them down. It creates Adventure E-Bikes the that are sleek, lightweight and let you explore deeper. It creates E-Bikes that enable you to go on bigger, longer and higher adventures and have more fun doing it.
Details TQ-HPR60 Drive System
The System
Building on the success of its predecessor, the brand-new TQ-HPR60 Drive System features a substantial 20% increase in torque and a 17% increase in motor power as well as an improved cooling concept for even more efficient support and an even quieter riding experience. In addition to the performance gains, the TQ-HPR60 Drive System includes a range of new and improved usability features like the sleek new high-resolution O-LED color display with extended functions as well as two additional battery options for an even longer or even lighter ride.
The Drive Unit
The HPR60 Drive Unit weighs only 1.924 grams and delivers up to 60Nm of torque as well as up to 350 Watts of peak power with the highest torque density on the market in a compact, lightweight package. But for TQ it’s not about numbers, it’s about the riding experience.
Believing that the principle of ‘less is more’ doesn’t just ring true when it comes to size, weight and noise, but also when it comes to user friendliness, the system intentionally features only three ride modes which are, however, fully customizable through the TQ App. Additionally, the Q-factor of the drive unit is only 135mm which allows for the same natural and efficient feel at the pedals as analog bikes – something that’s often overlooked when it comes to E-Bikes.
The Three Battery Options
The comparatively small size and low weight of the TQ Batteries allows for the design of E-Bikes that look like and have the same kinematics as analog bikes. Featuring a capacity of either 290Wh, 360Wh or 580Wh, all three battery options have been specifically developed to power the HPR60 Drive Unit with maximum efficiency in the most compact package possible. Weighing in at only 1.460g, 1.830g and 2.695g respectively, all three battery options deliver the best ratio of weight to capacity in their class thanks to featuring the highest energy density on the market. In addition, the capacity of all three batteries can be increased by a further 160Wh with an optional range extender the size of a 500ml water bottle for those extra-long all-day epics.
The Display
The new 2” O-LED full-color display seamlessly integrates into the bike’s top tube and acts as a frame-integrated control hub to give riders full control over their E-Bike. Furthermore, the display lets riders monitor essential system data and connects their E-Bike to their mobile phone or favorite ANT+ bike computer. Perfectly readable under all light conditions, the display provides all the information needed at one glance while a simple press of the display button turns the system ON and OFF and let`s riders navigate through different screens.
The Remote
The smallest part of the TQ-HPR60 system is a stealthy little handlebar remote. It lets riders control the bike’s support settings without having to move a hand from the grips. The sleek remote simply mounts onto the bikes’ handlebars and can be conveniently unplugged from its cable, making it super easy to change or replace components on the bars. Designed following TQ’s principle of less is more, the remote is a compact, robust and understated piece of technology made specifically for riders who want to ride more and worry about less.
The Harmonic Ping-Ring Transmission
The Harmonic Pin-Ring Transmission (HPR) is the result of TQ’s decades-long experience in the development and engineering of electric motors for robots, satellites, space stations and mars rovers. By redesigning and reengineering the patented Harmonic Pin-Ring technology used in literal Space-Age applications to fit the needs of cyclists, TQ created an extremely light drive unit (1.924 grams) that has virtually no lag in engagement and allows for seamless and noiseless E-Bike system integration.
By making full use of the benefits of the compact size and technological advantages of the HPR Transmission, TQ developed a light and extremely compact nested motor construction around the bottom bracket that consists of only very few parts and lets the motor almost completely disappear behind the chainring. Furthermore, the HPR transmission avoids the use of cog wheels which cause friction, noise, wear and potential points of failure. Foregoing cog wheels enabled the design of E-Bikes which sound, look and ride like analog bikes. Lastly, an HPR60-equipped E-Bike pedals like an analog bike when the drive unit is disengaged thanks to an integrated freewheel and drag-free internal components.
Further information on TQ and the technology behind the TQ-HPR60 Drive System can be found here.
