Aska Bikes, Comate & Elnor Motors innovate together
It’s only by bringing our strengths together that we can truly make our innovative project a reality
Innovating Together. If the innovation grant from the Province of Flemish Brabant and Voka - Chamber of Commerce Flemish Brabant had a tagline, “Innovating Together” would be a strong contender.
“It’s only thanks to our complementary expertise, by combining our strengths, that we’ve been able to develop the prototype of our ACE Drive propulsion system,” says Filip Dehing, Managing Director of Aska Bike, based in Leuven. Together with Comate, a Leuven-based engineering firm specializing in end-to-end product development, and Elnor Motors, a Haacht-based company that designs motors for high-end industrial applications, they submitted their innovation project at the end of 2022.
The acronym “ACE” represents the three partners: Aska – Comate – Elnor, while “Drive” refers to the complete system: motor, controller, and display/user interface.
Continuous Learning
“The idea for our project came from conversations with customers and our own experiences riding e-bikes,” explains Filip Dehing. “What improvements are still possible in the drivetrain over the medium term? To deliver the best riding experience, the motor must be seamlessly integrated into the e-bike as a whole. That was our starting point. But with just my expertise, I couldn’t build such a product. At least not alone.”
Elnor Motors brought decades of experience in motor design and manufacturing. “We contributed our motor expertise, but also learned a great deal about the technologies needed for e-bike motors,” says Tom Paesmans, CEO of Elnor Motors.
Comate’s team of engineers and designers provided the know-how to develop a physical product and prepare it for market. “Whether a product actually launches depends on many factors. Through this project, we’ve also expanded our knowledge of user research in the cycling industry,” adds Sander Van den dries, Co-owner of Comate.
Building the Prototype
The goal is to produce a working system by February 2025, mounted on an Aska Bike. But does that mean ACE Drive-powered e-bikes will soon be riding around Flemish Brabant? Not quite.
“The grant we received is essential for building the first prototype,” says Filip Dehing. “It’s a springboard toward potential production, but there’s still a long road between prototype and market launch.”
Is it disappointing that the result is ‘just’ a prototype? Not at all.
“That’s exactly what innovation is about,” says Sander Van den dries. “You can read books and conduct research, but real learning happens when you test a product, take it apart, and discover things you’d never have predicted on paper.”
“You especially learn what you don’t know,” adds Tom Paesmans. “And you gain valuable experience that can be applied to future products, opening doors that would otherwise remain closed.”
Local Production in Flemish Brabant
The dream behind ACE Drive is to eventually commercialize and manufacture the system locally in Flemish Brabant. This regional anchoring is one of the criteria for receiving the innovation grant.
Producing the motor locally could create jobs in the region, while also contributing to cleantech development and the province’s climate-neutral ambitions. Innovation is a key driver for the region, and companies that collaborate to create new insights and products are eligible for support.
ACE Drive received €126,399, covering half the cost of developing the prototype. “Without the grant, we wouldn’t be where we are today—and certainly not this quickly,” says Filip Dehing.
About the Grant
Each year, the Province of Flemish Brabant and Voka – Chamber of Commerce Flemish Brabant offer €600,000 in innovation grants to companies working together on new products or services. The grant can cover up to 50% of project costs, with a maximum of €150,000. Projects must aim to deliver marketable solutions and strengthen one of the province’s Smart Hubs: food, health, logistics, creativity, or cleantech.
“Innovation means choosing the future. Not just for your own organization, but for the growth of our economy,” says Kris Claes, Managing Director of Voka-KvK Vlaams-Brabant. “We can’t afford to stand still. This grant encourages companies to explore new possibilities together.”
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