The launch took place in Shanghai during the World Expo. The motor is made of metal powder, which enables a combination of low cost, low weight and high performance, the company said.

The motor has been developed to minimize the environmental impact. The stator is based on metal powder manufactured from metal scrap, and the motor design allows an efficient recycling. It uses less rare earth magnets and copper-wire than comparable conventional electric motors.

Alrik Danielson, CEO of Hoganas, said: “We chose the bicycle motor as a first application when introducing our new motor concept. The bicycle motor is very challenging, in terms of performance as well as cost, but we are confident that we have a unique product. It is lighter than other electric motors and in the e-bike it has a good range, up to 75km, thanks to high efficiency.

“Hoganas is the leading manufacturer of metal powder. The company is continuously driving market development by extending the use of metal powder technology to new applications. The technology offers entirely new possibilities to create more efficient and lighter products with reduced environmental impact.”

Mr Danielson added: “The e-bike motor is a good example of the Power of Powder. It is a highly efficient and very compact motor for direct drive applications. By combining high power per mass with a modular design, the motor is suitable for a wide range of applications in addition to electric bikes, such as scooters, other light electric vehicles, pumps, fans and generators.”