Stolen E-Bike Batteries Made Useless: Bosch’s Greedy Subscription Model

Electric bikes equipped with Bosch’s smart drive systems will soon feature a new digital Battery Lock function this summer, designed to render stolen batteries worthless to thieves. This is a promising initiative; however, the delayed rollout raises some concerns.

Battery theft has become a significant issue. Personally, I have had to replace two stolen e-bike batteries in the Netherlands, where over half of all new bicycles sold are electric. The mechanical locks securing these removable batteries can be easily defeated, leading to replacement costs ranging from $300 to $1,000 for Bosch system batteries, not to mention the additional expenses for repairing the damaged housing.

Bosch claims that Battery Lock supports multiple digital keys that can operate simultaneously via the Bosch Flow app and Kiox 300 and Kiox 500 bike displays, or can be disabled for sharing batteries with family and friends. This digital lock is compatible with all batteries in the Bosch smart system, including DualBatteries and the PowerMore 250 Range Extender.

Once activated, Battery Lock will automatically engage when a Bosch-based e-bike is powered off. According to Bosch, “If a locked battery is inserted into another e-bike with the smart system, it automatically disables its motor support, rendering the entire e-bike unusable for the thief. This also makes reselling the battery pointless, significantly reducing the risk of theft.”

This means that if thieves recognize there’s no market for stolen Bosch batteries, they will likely stop targeting them. This initiative aligns with Bosch’s goal to eliminate e-bike theft involving Bosch systems in the future.

However, there is a catch: Battery Lock requires a Flow Plus subscription, as stated by Bosch:

Battery Lock can be installed over-the-air on any Bosch e-bike with the smart system via the e-bike Flow app and will be available starting summer 2025 as part of the Flow+ subscription.

This policy seems flawed. For Battery Lock to be an effective theft deterrent, it should be enabled on all Bosch smart system batteries, regardless of whether the owner subscribes to Flow Plus. Otherwise, a significant resale market for stolen batteries will persist. Bosch does provide a complimentary year of Flow Plus, after which it costs $35 / £35 / €40 annually.

While it makes sense to offer premium services such as an e-bike alarm with GPS tracking through Flow Plus, Bosch smart drive e-bikes already come with an integrated system lock that requires a digital key to activate the motor, which does not necessitate a subscription. The same principle should apply to Battery Lock if Bosch is genuinely committed to their vision of zero theft.