Nukeproof has launched the new Kilowatt, a full-power electric mountain bike powered by the formidable Avinox M2S motor.
Revealed at Eurobike, the new Kilowatt will be available in alloy and carbon versions, with four complete builds ranging from £3,999 / €4,499 to £7,999 / €8,999.
All models have 160mm of front travel and 150mm of rear-wheel travel, with the bikes supplied as mullets as standard. A flip chip enables riders to run a full 29in setup.
The Kilowatt is the latest model from the Belgian Cycling Factory-owned Nukeproof and marks another important step in the relaunch of the brand.
It is also Nukeproof’s first Avinox-powered eMTB, following earlier Shimano and SRAM-powered bikes.
However, Nukeproof says the Kilowatt does not represent a wholesale switch to Avinox.
“We are not switching to Avinox, we are adding it,” Clive Gosling, Nukeproof brand director, told BikeRadar, adding that Nukeproof will use “a multi-motor strategy” across its ebike range.
According to Nukeproof, the decision to use Avinox was driven by the system’s power, torque, charging performance and compact packaging, as well as demand from riders and dealers.
“Riders and dealers are asking us for Avinox-equipped Nukeproofs,” Gosling said.
It seems Nukeproof has very much delivered, especially on price. The Kilowatt Alloy Pro will set you back £4,999 and is the cheapest bike on the market with the Avinox M2S drive unit bolted to it.
- Read more: Avinox is taking over – here are 20 bikes you can buy with its incredible new M2 and M2S motors
Avinox power, but Nukeproof says the handling matters most
The new Kilowatt sits in the middle of the full-power trail and enduro eMTB space, with Nukeproof saying it wanted a bike “light enough to rip local trails” but capable enough for “a trip to the Alps”.
Three of the four models use the Avinox M2S drive unit, with a claimed peak output of 1,300W and up to 150Nm of torque.
The entry-level Kilowatt Alloy Comp uses the Avinox M2 motor, with a claimed 1,100W peak output and up to 125Nm of torque.
Battery capacity depends on frame size. Small frames use a 600Wh fixed internal battery due to down-tube length constraints, while medium, large and extra-large sizes use an 800Wh fixed internal battery.
Nukeproof says it chose a non-removable battery because it wanted the cleanest possible frame design, and to help the Kilowatt look and ride closer to its non-assisted bikes.
Both carbon models come with Avinox’s 12A fast charger, while the alloy bikes are supplied with a 4A charger.
The compact packaging of the Avinox system helped Nukeproof achieve a 22.2kg claimed weight for the medium Carbon Factory model, without pedals.
That is not ultra-light by lightweight eMTB standards, but it is competitive for a full-power electric mountain bike with an 800Wh battery, gravity-ready tyres, strong brakes and a properly trail-ready parts package.
Nukeproof says it has paid close attention to how riders have been modifying Avinox-equipped bikes already.
“We’re also fitting proper tyres and burly wheels, which even though they have a weight penalty, mean you don’t have to upgrade them to ride it as intended,” Gosling said.
Alloy and carbon frames designed to look almost identical
The Kilowatt is built around two new frames: the Kilowatt Alloy and Kilowatt Carbon.
Nukeproof says both frames were intentionally designed to look strikingly similar, with the alloy bike using tube shapes intended to mimic the smoother appearance of the carbon version.
The alloy frame has been developed with a new manufacturing partner whose background includes intricate automotive castings.
Tom Bugler, product manager for the alloy Kilowatt, said the alloy frame uses a complex one-piece cast section around the motor. This acts as a central junction for the frame, helping tie the tubes, motor and suspension mounts together, while enabling the alloy bike to mimic the smoother look of the carbon version.
Bugler said the alloy Kilowatt brings together lessons from Nukeproof’s previous alloy frames, including the Scout, Reactor and Mega, while carrying over some details more usually associated with carbon bikes.
“The hydroformed tubes are intricately designed, and both the seatstays and chainstays are asymmetric, which while increasing design time and tooling cost, makes a better bike,” said Bugler.
Key frame hardware and the suspension linkage are shared between the alloy and carbon platforms.
Nukeproof says both frames use internally guided cable routing with a tube-in-tube system to make servicing easier.
Horst-link suspension with Nukeproof’s single-piece linkage
The Kilowatt uses Nukeproof’s familiar four-bar Horst-link suspension system, with 150mm of rear-wheel travel.
Steve Jamison, product manager for the carbon Kilowatt, said the layout has been refined for more than a decade and is intended to deliver small-bump sensitivity and traction early in the travel, while maintaining mid-stroke support for aggressive riding.
Nukeproof also highlights its single-piece suspension linkage, which it says helps increase stiffness between the front and rear triangles.
Jamison said the Kilowatt is designed to combine the confidence of the Mega with the more versatile, adventure-ready feel of the Reactor.
Gosling added that Nukeproof wanted the bike to deliver Avinox power in a chassis that can make use of it.
“It looks more like an analogue bike, delivers all the power riders could want and, crucially, has the handling and ride feel to help deliver that power in a platform tuned for the motor,” said Gosling.
Mullet as standard, full-29in compatible
All Kilowatt models are supplied with a 29in front wheel and 27.5in rear wheel. Nukeproof says the bike can also be converted to a full 29in setup using the frame’s flip chip.
The geometry is firmly in aggressive trail and enduro eMTB territory, but not at the extreme end of the category.
Across the S to XL size range, reach figures run from 435mm to 500mm.
The head angle is listed at 64 degrees on all sizes, while the effective seat angle is 77 degrees on the small and medium frames, and 77.5 degrees on the large and extra-large.
Chainstays are 450mm across the range, with wheelbase figures running from 1,209mm on the small to 1,287mm on the XL.
Nukeproof also appears to have kept the seat tubes relatively low, with lengths from 380mm to 460mm, helping allow for longer-drop seatposts.
Nukeproof Kilowatt range and availability
Nukeproof says the Kilowatt is expected to arrive in stores later this year.
The launch is another sign that Nukeproof is moving quickly under Belgian Cycling Factory ownership, with the brand building out a broader range rather than simply reviving existing models.
Kilowatt 297 Carbon Factory
- Frame: Nukeproof Kilowatt carbon, 150mm travel
- Motor: Avinox M2S, 150Nm torque, 1,300W peak power
- Battery: Avinox fixed internal battery, 600Wh size S / 800Wh M-XL
- Charger: Avinox 12A fast charger
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory, Grip X2 damper, 160mm
- Shock: Fox Float X Factory, 210x55mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM X0 AXS T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Silver, 200mm rotors
- Wheelset: DT Swiss HX1700, 29in front / 27.5in rear, Schwalbe Magic Mary Evo Gravity Pro Radial 29x2.5in front / Schwalbe Albert Evo Gravity Pro Radial 27.5x2.5in rear
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof Horizon cockpit, OneUp V3 dropper post
- Price: £7,999 / €8,999
Kilowatt 297 Carbon Expert
- Frame: Nukeproof Kilowatt carbon, 150mm travel
- Motor: Avinox M2S, 150Nm torque, 1,300W peak power
- Battery: Avinox fixed internal battery, 600Wh size S / 800Wh M-XL
- Charger: Avinox 12A fast charger
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Performance, Grip damper, 160mm
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance, 210x55mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM Eagle 90 T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Base, 200mm rotors
- Wheels: DT Swiss HX1900, 29in front / 27.5in rear, Schwalbe Magic Mary Evo Gravity Pro Radial 29x2.5in front / Schwalbe Albert Evo Gravity Pro Radial 27.5x2.5in rear
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof Horizon/Neutron cockpit, Tranz-X dropper post
- Price: £6,499 / €7,499
Kilowatt 297 Alloy Pro
- Frame: Nukeproof Kilowatt alloy, 150mm travel
- Motor: Avinox M2S, 150Nm torque, 1,300W peak power
- Battery: Avinox fixed internal battery, 600Wh size S / 800Wh M-XL
- Charger: Avinox 4A charger
- Fork: RockShox Lyrik, Delta RC damper, 160mm
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe, 210x55mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM Eagle 70 T-Type
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Base, 200mm rotors
- Wheels: Nukeproof Neutron, 29in front / 27.5in rear, Schwalbe Magic Mary Gravity TLR Soft 29x2.4in front / 27.5x2.4in rear
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof Neutron cockpit, Tranz-X dropper post
- Price: £4,999 / €5,499
Kilowatt 297 Alloy Comp
- Frame: Nukeproof Kilowatt alloy, 150mm travel
- Motor: Avinox M2, 125Nm torque, 1,100W peak power
- Battery: Avinox fixed internal battery, 600Wh size S / 800Wh M-XL
- Charger: Avinox 4A charger
- Fork: RockShox Psylo Gold RC, Isolator RC damper, 160mm
- Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select, 210x55mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM S100 Eagle
- Brakes: SRAM DB4, 200mm rotors
- Wheels: Shimano TC500 hubs on WTB ST i30 Tough rims, 29in front / 27.5in rear, Schwalbe Magic Mary Gravity TLR Soft 29x2.4in front / 27.5x2.4in rear
- Finishing kit: Nukeproof Electron cockpit, X-Fusion Manic dropper post
- Price: £3,999 / €4,499
