Companies trademark a lot of different name to protect upcoming products and possible projects, so which category does the Shimano EL8 find itself in?

Shimano has applied for and received trademark applications for the EL8 name. According to the application the trademark has been approved for use on “electric motors and controllers for electrically assisted bicycles”, but that’s all.

EL8™ trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of electric motors for bicycles, electric motors and motor controllers for electrically assisted bicycles sold as a unit, electric motors and motor controllers for electrical bicycles sold as a unit, electric drive units for electrically assisted bicycles, electric drive units for electrical bicycles

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What we can do is attempt to narrow down what the Shimano EL8 could be designed for. Over the past year there have been many reports on the EP8, a new off-road ebike motor that will replace the E8000. Further trademark applications also bring up the Shimano EP6 and Shimano EP4, motors we’ll assume are also for the eMTB and off-road market.

With 3 motors designed for eMTB applications, where does this leave the Shimano EL8? One possibility could be a commuter or city motor, but Shimano already produces motors for these types of bikes, so how about road bikes?

Could the Shimano EL8 be a new on-road motor system designed as a lightweight system suitable for nimble road and gravel bikes? Specialised has already produced a lightweight road motor system and it wouldn’t be improbable for Shimano to have something of its own to bring to market.