MAHLE XS does the treble and picks up Red Dot Award 2025

MAHLE’s XS System has done the treble and earned itself a Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025 on top of its Design & Innovation Award 2025 and the iF Design Award 2025.

MAHLE’s hat-trick of awards is for the minimalist XS which features just the eX1 external battery, the XS smart controller, the X20 or X30 drive unit and a torque or pedal assist sensor (PAS). The lean design is for ease of maintenance, customisation potential (there are a wide range of compatible accessories), optimisation of material use and minimal environmental impact. The urban emobility aimed product has the eX1 external battery, weighing just over one kilogram, which serves as the system’s sole power source, delivering reliable energy for daily use while enabling a clean, compact integration into the bike frame.

When paired with the MAHLE X20 or X30 motors, the complete system weighs just 2.5 kilograms (with the X20), while still generating 55 Nm of torque — comparable to mid-drive motor systems. Fully compatible with the MAHLE ecosystem, the XS System is already on the market “empowering bicycle manufacturers to unlock new levels of design freedom without compromising performance”.

The Red Dot Award: Product Design is one of the most renowned design competitions in the world, celebrating excellence and innovation since 1955. Each year, an independent jury of around 40 international experts evaluates thousands of submissions based on criteria such as innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics, and durability.