Trek launches new Fuel EXe mid-powered lightweight e-bike platform

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Stealthy looks, light weight and compact 50Nm motor – is the Trek Fuel EXe the start of a new mid-powered eMTB category?

The new Trek Fuel EXe electric mountain bike MY22

Trek Fuel EXe eMTB Credit: Sterling Lorence

The mid-powered e-bike category is hotting up, and the first of what we think will be many bikes in this segment is the new Trek Fuel EXe; powered by a 360Wh battery and a compact TQ 50Nm motor.

It’s a 140mm travel 29er trail bike, where all models run 150mm forks. The frame is full carbon and the top-end Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS build weight is 19.28kg (42.51lb). It’s not the lightest bike in the range however; that honour goes to the Fuel EXe 9.9 XTR.

Trek Fuel EXe need to know:

29er mid-power e-bike with 140mm travel
All six Fuel EXe model use 150mm travel forks
German made TQ motor has 50Nm torque and weighs 1850g
TQ’s harmonic pin ring transmission is the quietest we’ve ridden
Three power modes and walk assist, accessed from remote switch
360WH TQ battery is removable, weights 1,835g
Battery can be charred on or off the bike, no adapters needed
All models use full carbon frames and are available in four frame sizes
Mino Link offers two geometry settings
Aftermarket 160Wh Range exerted boosts ride time by 40% and weighs 900g
TyreWiz and AirWiz on 9.9 models
Trek Central app lets you customise your ride

Photo showing the bottom bracket and motor area on the new yellow Trek Fuel EXe eMTB

Yes, there’s a motor in there

As e-bikes go the new Fuel EXe is almost indistinguishable for a regular bike. The concentric TQ motor is so compact that, unless you know it’s there, it’s incredibly easy to miss. The motor is also very quiet, which is why we were able to ride the Fuel EXe in plain sight for a month before the official launch without anyone noticing that we were on a brand new e-bike.

In fact, one full fat e-bike rider asked if we’d ever consider switching to an e-bike when he saw us on the EXe.

And it’s not just the compact TQ motor that masks the hidden power of the Fuel EXe, the slender downtube that houses the 360Wh removable battery helps too. The charging port for the battery, when it is in the bike, is above the bottle cage, and because the cable that connects the battery to the motor is hidden under the protective motor cover, the only real giveaway that it’s a pedal assisted bike is the monochrome TQ display on the top tube.

We were able to ride the Fuel EXe in plain sight for a month before the official launch without anyone noticing that we were on a brand new e-bike

The display has four screens which you can toggle through using the button at the base of the display. All of the metrics are crystal clear, easy to read and customisable via Trek’s Central app. Trek has also integrated some of the features from SRAM’s AXS app, so you can access all of the settings for TyreWiz and AirWiz in one place.

Photo showing the Trek Central app on a phone next to the Trek Fuel EXe eMTB

The Trek Central app allows you to customise your ride

Did you say AirWiz? Yes, is basically a traffic light system just like TyreWiz, and it is on the RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork and Super Deluxe Ultimate shock of the 9.9 models. You set your desired fork and shock pressures in the app, and if either goes outside of your preset operating pressures the lights on top of the fork or shock will blink red. When they are green, you’re good to go.

Trek also has a 160Wh range extender for the EXe that sits in the bottle cage and plugs directly into the charging port, which makes for a seriously short cable that’s well out of harm’s way.

Photo showing charging port on downtube on Trek Fuel EXe eMTB

The charging port is located on the inside of the frame on the downtube

There are three power modes which are customisable in the Trek Central app, where the compact handlebar remote makes it easy to select your desired level of assistance in every situation. It also has a walk mode. With 50Nm torque the Trek Fuel EXe won’t dispense with the steepest climbs as easily as a full-power e-bike, but it offers more than enough assistance to tackle climbs that would have you off and pushing on a regular bike, or even a low-power e-bike like the Specialized Kenevo SL.

Yes, TQ is relatively unknown in the UK and in the mountain bike world, but the German motor manufacturer is not short of experience in robotics, medical tech and aerospace industries. So building a bicycle motor should be child’s play, right? TQ has been developing e-bike motors since 2008, so it should have the reliability dialled. Also if there are any issues down the line, you’ll not be left high and dry as Trek’s extensive dealer network is there to take care of you and your bike.

Photo of battery being removed from underside of Trek Fuel EXe eMTB

The compact battery can be removed or charged in situ

So the new Trek Fuel EXe isn’t the lightest e-bike. It’s also not the most powerful. It is however the quietest, and in that respect it’s the closest yet to mimicking the ride feel and experience of an analog bike, albeit with less huffing and puffing on the climbs, if you choose to take full advantage of the motor and aren’t interested in extending the battery life.

Tone down the power however and you increase the range dramatically, get a major workout but still feel super strong on the climbs. Best of all, if you regularly ride trails that typically have you cranking above the 15.5mph pedal-assist limit, the reduced drag of the mid-power motor is game changing. You can read our in-depth First Ride on the top-end Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS here.