Feature the features: Boost Button
Second in our series: the feature that puts power in the palm of your hand.
With a single press, the Boost Button delivers an instant surge of power, helping you take off faster, climb smoother, and ride effortlessly. The feature that turns any green light into your head start.
It’s the kind of feature that feels obvious, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t dreamed up in the boardroom. It was born as a solution. Back in the early 2010s, torque sensors were hard to get hold of, with limited suppliers. We still wanted to give riders some control over their power when taking off from a stop. So we built our own way forward. We devised a simple button for the S1 e-bike.
“We wanted people to feel like they had a super power with the boost.”
– VanMoof Industrial Design Manager
The first version delivered fixed power. But when we added a torque sensor, the bike also moved with riders – creating a smoother ride. So with our second iteration of the Boost Button, riders gained even more control. The torque sensor created assistance that feels natural and intuitive. Almost like the bike could read their minds. The more force you apply to the pedals, the more support the motor gives. Just like a traditional bike, but with an electric kick.
Overall, this version was a smoother, more intuitive ride that responded to every pedal stroke, while still giving riders instant power at the press of a button.
Fast forward to today: we’ve got the S6 Boost Button. Rebuilt to fire faster, feel smoother, and respond instantly.
“There’s more to it than meets the eye. We’ve completely rebuilt the electronics from scratch. This isn’t just a superficial update. The boost is now more powerful and more responsive.”
It’s an upgrade that comes with serious lift-off. And initially, too much lift-off. During development, our team realised that the combination of our custom motor and controller made the Boost way too powerful. And with that power, there was no time to take in the city. So it had to be refined.
The S6 today nails the sweet spot. A perfect balance between smooth, controlled, and pure propulsion when needed. You’ll still hold the button to build speed, but here’s the game-changer: once you’re flying at top speed, just let go and keep cruising as long as you’re pedaling. The S6 has more responsiveness at lower speeds creating smoother takeoffs, especially from a standstill. And the most satisfying time you can put the Boost in action? The moment a red light turns green.
We spent months testing and fine-tuning. We learned how acceleration felt in real-world rides – and one thing stood out. Boost works even better when it adapts to your speed level. When you switch power levels, so does the Boost power. Now, you’ll feel more natural acceleration that matches how you want to ride.
This is just one of many key features and upgrades built into the all-new S6 – each designed to make your ride more powerful, more secure, and more seamless than ever. Now that we’ve explained it, there’s only one thing left to do: give the Boost Button a go.
