Porsche launched its line of electric bicycles last year, and the German automaker shows how serious it is about e-bikes by investing in another company.
Porsche has bought a minority share from a German company called Fazua, which has developed one of the most innovative electric drive systems.
Founded in 2013, Fazua is a pioneer in the development of compact and lightweight technologies which are used by more than 40 brands. The mid-drive motors of Fazua’s e-bikes can be removed, along with the battery pack. The removability of those parts helps the riders to get rid of all the extra weight of e-bikes when carrying them.
The deal between Porsche and Fazua includes an initial %20 ownership of the company by Porsche for an undisclosed amount and an option for Porsche to buy more shares to become the majority owner of Fazua.
Porsche has also announced that it will establish a strategic partnership with Ponooc, an investment company that works in sustainable energy and mobility solutions. Two companies will establish two joint ventures in the field of electric mobility.
One of these ventures is to develop, manufacture, and distribute the next generation of Porsche’s e-bikes. Technological solutions in the micro-mobility market will be the focus of the other venture of Porsche and Ponooc.
Porsche’s strategic steps in the fast-growing e-bike market
With this strategic partnership, the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer intends to take more advantage of the know-how of two companies in the attractive and fast-growing eBike market. This is a clear strategy: Porsche’s expertise will be supplemented by the market-specific know-how of Fazua and Ponooc, which has a broad portfolio of ventures in micro-mobility and mobility platforms.
The German automaker and its enduring partner Rotwild continue to work on Porsche’s current e-bike models. The exclusive bikes of Porsche eBike Sport and the eBike Cross have launched in March 2021. The former is a daily e-bike with the ultra-compact Shimano EP8 motor, which provides motor support up to 15.5 miles per hour, whereas the latter is an off-road e-bike with the same motor. Porsche Digital GmbH is building a platform for digital services around the cycling experience under the Cyklær brand.
