Merida has announced an upgraded series of eMTBs and told us about Shimano's latest pedal-assist drivetrain, the EP8. Shimano says the system will be deployed in a variety of areas, from mountain biking to city commuting.

The eONE-SIXTY is a long-travel e-mountain bike series with different sized wheel diameters and blended frame construction. It has a carbon fiber front triangle and aluminum rear, with interesting features in the downtube and bottom bracket area. Merida has upgraded from the E8000 spec to Shimano's latest EP8 system, with impressive new features and statistics.

Shimano's EP8 system offers better ride endurance and theoretical range due to increased battery energy density. The pedal assist component of Shimano's EP8 system is powered by a 630 Wh lithium-ion battery pack, a 25% increase in energy density over the Japanese company's power pack from 2019.

The EP8's more powerful battery chemistry also makes the entire drive system slightly smaller. It is 10% smaller than Shimano's E8000 system and 300 g lighter due to the magnesium drive case design.

In addition to the potential increase in range, the electric motor's assist power has been increased by 15 units to a new peak of 85 Nm.

Thermal management can be an issue with e-bikes, especially when riding in rugged terrain or hot and humid conditions. Shimano's new EP8 motor has a more pronounced fin surface finish that helps dissipate heat and improves cooling.

Shimano engineers and software experts have also tweaked the EP8 system to use the increased power linearly during riding, preventing annoying power surges.

The EP8's mechanical friction has also been reduced by 36% compared to the E8000 system, which should further allow for seamless attachment and removal of pedal assist functions.