From 1 June 2026, owners of electric bikes running the Yamaha QORE system can download a free update via the mobile app and increase peak motor output without visiting a service centre. Drive³ Peak moves from 600 to 800 W and from 95 to 105 Nm, while Drive³ Power moves from 500 to 700 W and from 80 to 90 Nm. Bikes manufactured after that date leave the factory with the new specifications already applied.

The update covers only the latest generation of 2026 Waldbike and Campus bikes equipped with QORE. Older models and other brands using the Yamaha system were not mentioned in the announcement as being eligible for the update. This is an important limitation worth checking before purchasing a used bike with this drivetrain.

OTA in ebike drivetrains: the QORE App and what it changes for servicing

Yamaha has built over-the-air (OTA) update support directly into the consumer-facing QORE app. Until now, every drivetrain firmware change required a dealer visit and came with labour costs. Owners can now download the update package via their smartphone and install it themselves. Lionel Sternberg, Product Manager Software Architecture at Yamaha Motor eBike Systems GmbH in Berlin, announced that the OTA channel will serve not only for power changes but also for new features, security patches, and bug fixes.

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800 W and the power race: Amflow at 150 Nm, while a year ago lightweight SL motors at 50 Nm ruled

Just a year ago the eMTB market revolved around lightweight-class systems: motors in the 50 Nm torque range, such as the Shimano EP8 SL, Specialized SL 1.1, and TQ HPR50, were the answer to demand for bikes whose weight approached that of analogue counterparts. The argument was straightforward: smaller motor, lower mass, more natural handling.

Amflow changed the narrative by introducing a drivetrain with 150 Nm of torque, shifting the reference point for the full-power segment. Following that move, manufacturers began responding by pushing their own figures upward; Yamaha's QORE update fits squarely into that trend: 105 Nm in Drive³ Peak is a clear step up from the previous 95 Nm, though the gap to Amflow's 150 Nm remains considerable.

The power race comes at a cost: higher torque under aggressive pedalling drains the battery faster and places greater loads on the drivetrain components (chain, cassette, chainring).

QORE Motor

Power before update

Power after update

Torque before

Torque after

Drive³ Peak

600 W

800 W

95 Nm

105 Nm

Drive³ Power

500 W

700 W

80 Nm

90 Nm