High Performance Hub Motor Conversion Kit: What Is in the Box, Speed, Range & Power Options

A hub motor conversion kit is the most direct way to turn a bike you already own into a genuine high-performance electric machine. HPC's High Performance Hub Motor Conversion Kit is a complete, custom-built system: a gearless hub motor in a hand-built wheel, a USA-made battery, a controller matched to your power package, a display, a charger and all the wiring. This guide walks through what is in the box, the speed, range and power options, and how to choose a package.

Hub motor conversion kit at a glance

Speed and range are ranges because every kit is custom built. Where you land depends on the power package and battery you choose, plus rider weight, terrain and how hard you use the throttle.

What is in the box

The pitch of this kit is that it arrives complete. You are not sourcing a motor from one place, a battery from another and a controller from a third. According to the product page, the kit includes:

• Gearless hub motor: a custom HPC air-cooled brushless motor with an aluminum stator, higher-grade laminations for less cogging, and robust 14mm axles built for off-road abuse.
• Hand-built wheel: a double-walled aluminum rim with Sapim spokes, laced on a Phil Wood spoke machine by builders with 40+ years of experience, and built in California.
• Li-NMC battery: a USA-made lithium nickel manganese cobalt battery using cells from Sony, LG, Samsung and Molicel.
• Diagnostic display: shows speed, distance, battery level and efficiency in Wh/mile. You can limit power to save battery, or to make a kit street legal.
• Controller: a programmable motor controller matched to your power package.
• Charger and wiring: a standard 2A charger (upgrades are available), plus the full wiring harness, throttle, brake levers and all hardware.

Why a gearless hub motor

A gearless, or direct-drive, hub motor has no internal reduction gears to wear out. The motor turns the wheel directly, which makes for quiet, smooth power delivery that does not depend on which gear you are in, and it leaves your chain and cassette out of the power path. That mechanical simplicity is the main reason people choose a hub motor over a mid-drive. For the full comparison, read our guide to hub motor vs mid-drive vs controller swap kits.

The trade-off is that the motor's weight lives in the wheel, and a hub generally has less low-speed climbing torque per watt than a mid-drive that can use your gears. If you mostly want speed, simplicity and reliability, a hub kit is a strong fit.

Speed: 20 to 45+ mph

The 20-45+ mph range on the product page reflects the span of power packages. The low end suits a mellow build, and the high end comes with the larger power options. Remember that speed costs energy: the faster you go, the more power it takes to push through the air, which is also why range falls as speed rises.

Range: 25 to 100+ miles

Range is mostly a battery question. The 25-100+ mile span covers everything from a smaller pack ridden hard to a large pack ridden gently. To understand how voltage and capacity relate to range, see our guide to high-voltage e-bike battery systems. If range matters most to you, tell us how far you ride and we will help you size the pack.

Choosing a power package: 2 to 5kW

The kit comes in power options from 2kW to 5kW. A simple way to think about it:

• Toward 2kW: the efficient end. A smaller power package is easier on the battery, easier to handle and the easiest to keep within local rules.
• Toward 5kW: the high-performance end, for riders who want maximum acceleration and top speed, on private land.
• In between: a balance of punch and range for most builds.

Check three things before you choose: your frame and fork (a more powerful motor loads the dropouts harder, and brakes should be sized for the speed), where you plan to ride, and how much range you need. If you want to go further than this kit, our post on high-power hub motor kits covers the 8kW Black Lightning.

Lead time and ordering

Every kit is custom built, and the kit includes a battery that is made to order. The product page notes that battery lead time is currently 2-3 weeks for manufacturing. Plan your build around that, and check the product page for the latest information before you order. Choose your options on the page, or contact us if you want help picking a package.

Warranty and support

The kit is backed by a 3 Year Limited Warranty from a USA company. See the terms and conditions on the product page for details.

Ride responsibly

The higher-power packages go well beyond the legal definition of an e-bike in many places, which is generally 750W with assisted speed capped at 20 or 28 mph. Use those setups on private land, and check your local rules before riding anywhere else. The display lets you limit power if you need to stay within local limits.

Configure your hub motor kit, or compare more options in our e-bike conversion kits collection.