Inside the Tech: E-Bikes Explained

The Future of Product Developement Nature

- By Wessel Snoey

When you ride an e-bike it feels simple. You just pedal and the bike does the rest. But what does the bike really do, and what systems are running while you're biking?

Let's take a closer look at the electronics inside an e-bike and how the right supply-chain partner can support your development. As indicated in Figure 1, the e-bike that seems so simple is often made up of components from a large ecosystem of individual, specialized suppliers.

POWER AND CHARGING

Before any ride, you need to charge your e-bike. The first part of that process is the charging connection. DEGSON provides EV-grade charging connectors and cable assemblies built for outdoor use, repeated plugging, and mechanical stress. These ensure a safe and reliable connection between the charger and the bike.

Of course not just the connector is important, FSP Technology Inc. has a wide range of ready to go E-bike / EV chargers available. They make sure your bike is charging reliably and quickly!

Once the bike is plugged in, the Battery Management System (BMS) wakes up. The BMS manages each cell, ensures the battery charges safely, and monitors temperature to prevent damage. Inside many BMS designs, you will find Gowin Semiconductor Corp. FPGAs, which handle fast and predictable operations such as cell balancing, protection logic, and charging sequences. FPGAs are ideal here because they react instantly and process multiple tasks in parallel.

After charging, the battery becomes the bike's main power source. But the battery voltage cannot be used directly by most electronics. This is where MaxLinear DC/DC or buck converters come in. They convert the high battery voltage into stable low-voltage rails that power the controller, sensors, wireless modules, and user interface.

PROCESSING AND MOTOR CONTROL