DJI's Avinox brand just lit the fuse on the most powerful mainstream eMTB motor yet — and at least nine bike brands launched at once to ride the blast wave.
Avinox is DJI's e-bike drive-system brand — yes, the same DJI that dominates consumer drones. Its M1 motor stunned the eMTB world in 2024 by pairing huge power with a tiny, slick app-driven package. Now the second generation has landed: the standard M2 and the flagship M2S.
What made this an "avalanche" rather than a single product launch is the timing. Avinox says over 60 industry partners have integrated its newest systems, and the company coordinated a wave of bike reveals on launch day. Bikerumor counted nine new eMTBs out of the gate — from Pivot, YT, Atherton, Mondraker, Whyte, BH, Lee Cougan, Teewing and Avinox's own Amflow — with many more brands queued behind them.
The M2S motor, by the numbers
Avinox M2S drive unit
Source: New Atlas
The two motors split the range. The M2 makes 1,100 W and 125 Nm; the M2S jumps to 1,500 W and 150 Nm in Boost, with 1,300 W / 130 Nm available continuously. Both ditch the M1's straight-cut gears for quieter helical, dual-engagement gearing and swap a high-drag oil seal for sealed bearings, while the M2S adds flat copper-wire windings to pack more power into the same shell.
The headline efficiency claim is real-world relevant: E-MOUNTAINBIKE measured an 81% average efficiency, up from 78% on the M1, and New Atlas reports a 45% lift in power density and 21.6% in torque density. The catch: the full sustained figures need Avinox's new 700 Wh FP700 battery (600 Wh and 800 Wh packs are also offered). For now there is no confirmed South African pricing or distribution — every figure below is a global launch price.
Nine bikes, one motor
View data table
| Rear travel (mm) | |
|---|---|
| Amflow PX/PR | 150 mm |
| Pivot Shuttle AMP'd | 150 mm |
| Lee Cougan Flö | 160 mm |
| YT Decoy X | 160 mm |
| Mondraker Zendit | 165 mm |
| Atherton S.170E | 170 mm |
| BH iLynx+ DL | 170 mm |
| Teewing Flux One | 178 mm |
| Whyte Karve EVO | 180 mm |
Four flagship M2S builds compared
| Pivot Shuttle AMP'd | YT Decoy X | Atherton S.170E | Whyte Karve EVO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear travel | 150 mm | 160 mm | 170 mm | 180 mm |
| Fork travel | 160 mm | 170 mm | 180 mm | 180 mm |
| Frame | Carbon, DW-link | Aluminium | Aluminium, lugged | Carbon / alloy |
| Wheels | MX or 29 (flip-chip) | MX | 29 | 29 |
| Launch price | $9,499 (~R157 000)–$14,499 (~R239 000) | €8,499 (~R159 000) | £6,999 (~R152 000)–£8,999 (~R196 000) | £5,650 (~R123 000)–£7,299 (~R159 000) |
Specs: Bikerumor
Prices above are quoted in their native currencies (USD, EUR and GBP) exactly as published at launch — they are not directly comparable, and none has an official South African rand price yet. The spread of intentions is the real story: Pivot positions the Shuttle AMP'd as a playful all-mountain do-it-all between its Shuttle SL and Shuttle LT, while Whyte's 180 mm Karve EVO and Teewing's 178 mm high-pivot Flux One chase outright gravity performance.
What the reviewers say
First rides and on-test impressions
Independent verdicts from across the cycling press — follow each link for the full review.
Exceptionally well-rounded
“The Shuttle AMPD is an exceptionally well-rounded eMTB that nails the balance between strong uphill performance and serious fun on the descents.”
Read the full reviewPlays like an SL
“It rides more like an SL than a full power eMTB.”
Read the full reviewDrone DNA, transplanted
“The same expertise that makes DJI's drones so efficient – compact high-torque motors, high-density batteries, tight software integration – has been transplanted into an ebike drivetrain.”
Read the full reviewThe M2 matters too
“The M2S is the flagship model, but the M2 is also a meaningful upgrade over the M1.”
Read the full reviewThe M2S avalanche, weighed up
- Class-leading output: 1,500 W peak and 150 Nm out-muscles most rivals' ~600–850 W and 85–120 Nm.
- Light for a full-power unit — a claimed ~2.6 kg motor keeps these bikes surprisingly nimble.
- Quiet below ~1,000 W; testers describe an instant, controllable power delivery.
- Huge, instant choice — nine bikes at launch and 60-plus brands signed up.
- You need the 700 Wh FP700 battery to sustain the headline numbers, adding weight and cost.
- Flagship prices are steep (up to US$14,499 (~R239 000) for the Pivot Team build).
- As a relative newcomer, Avinox's spares and service network is still maturing in many regions.
- No confirmed South African distribution or rand pricing yet.
Tap to vote — see how readers lean
Avinox M2S: your questions answered
What is Avinox, and what's its link to DJI? +
Avinox is the e-bike drive-system brand of DJI, the drone giant. Its M1 motor launched in 2024; the M2 and flagship M2S are the second generation, sharing DJI's expertise in compact motors, dense batteries and tight app/software integration.
How much power does the M2S really make? +
It delivers 1,300 W and 130 Nm continuously, bursting to 1,500 W and 150 Nm in Boost mode for around 60 seconds. The full sustained figures require Avinox's new 700 Wh FP700 battery.
What's the difference between the M2 and the M2S? +
The M2 makes 1,100 W and 125 Nm; the M2S makes up to 1,500 W and 150 Nm and adds flat copper-wire windings. Both use quieter helical, dual-engagement gears and lower-drag sealed bearings versus the M1.
Which bikes use it? +
At launch, nine: the Pivot Shuttle AMP'd, YT Decoy X, Atherton S.170E, Mondraker Zendit, Whyte Karve EVO, BH iLynx+ DL, Lee Cougan Flö, Teewing Flux One and Avinox's own Amflow PX/PR — with 60-plus brands signed up overall.
Can I buy these in South Africa, and what will they cost? +
Launch prices are in USD, EUR and GBP (the Pivot starts at US$9,499 (~R157 000)). No official ZA rand pricing is confirmed yet — local availability depends on each brand's South African distributor. Track live local prices below.
Sources and further reading
- An Avinox Avalanche: nine new eMTBs launching with the M2S — Bikerumor
- Everything you need to know about DJI's new Avinox M2 and M2S motors — BikeRadar
- New Avinox M2S and M2 Motor System on Test: The Rise of DJI? — E-MOUNTAINBIKE
- New Pivot Shuttle AMP'd on test — E-MOUNTAINBIKE
- DJI Avinox M2: Most Powerful, Lightest eMTB Motor — New Atlas
- Pivot Shuttle AMP'd Review — 2026 eMTB Shootout — The Loam Wolf
The M2S isn't just another motor — it's DJI bringing drone-grade power density, battery tech and software to mountain bikes, and forcing Bosch, Shimano and Specialized to answer. The coordinated nine-bike avalanche shows how fast the industry has bought in, and early testers are genuinely impressed: huge, controllable power in a package light enough to ride like a lesser bike.
For South African riders it's an exciting moment to watch rather than buy — the spec sheet is sensational, but rand pricing, distribution and long-term service support all remain unanswered. If you're shopping a full-power eMTB now, treat this as the new benchmark to measure everything else against.
