The MP4 looks like a MP3 with sine-wave controller, to me.
The MP2 is a different motor=external controller? right?
This MP3 I ride has very noticeable resistance I don't have the MP2 so I cant compare. Maybe Paul will chime in.
This new geared hub I just received, I can tell just spinning it in my hand that it freewheels way better than my MP3.
Not trying to argue with you guys CB2 and BarelyAwake. Just my observation.
Pedaling down the road I use less than 250w and go 20mph average.
We all probably need at least 3 ebikes. A pedaler, a cruiser and a go-fast.
The outdated MP2 isn't as functionally or feature different as is often presented by the retailers, I suspect primarily because the main difference was in quality control - the MP2 connectors & soldering were almost shameful to say the least. The MP2 & MP3 are very similar, both have internal controllers with fully adjustable parameters, the MP3 added a "cooling fan" of sorts to address a heat problem I never had, but most importantly - far
far better connectors & soldering, making it a product I'd recommend rather then the one I'd gotten, which while I do love now, I had to completely rebuild, both replacing the fistful of connectors & cracking open the hub to re-solder the board on a brand new, never used product.
I'm not actually complaining BTW, I suspect customer service would have replaced it had I bothered & once repaired, it's been astoundingly faithful & reliable - but insofar as I'm aware, that's the most profound difference between the 2 & 3... I dunno beans about the MP4 though, so I've nuffin' to offer there lol
I don't feel you're "arguing" Lungcookie, you're just offering your perspective & experience - exactly what forums are for I figure. In fact we're not even disagreeing that there's a drag/resistance present while pedaling an unpowered hub motor or that a geared hub may have less, it's just a matter of user relevance, personal preference if you like. I personally find the drag of an unpowered hub motor while pedaling to be insignificant to the point of irrelevance as I'm not a primary pedaler. I do pedal, quite a bit actually - but this is to aid the motor, not usually to operate my motorized bicycle as if it were an unmotorized one. For the occasions that I do, I'm not interested in maximum speed - I'm jus' tooling along at a leisurely pace, puttering alongside pedestrians or wandering wherever, worst case I'm jus' trying to get home on a dead battery. That only happened the once (knock wood lol) but even still, I didn't think it anywhere near enough a noticeable drag effect to consider another motor type, particularly opposed to some potential disadvantages geared & mid-drives have (noise/friction/efficiency/maintenance)...
...but this is purely user & application specific - if you're a primary pedalist, using an electric only to occasionally assist the worst of the hills, then even smallest amount of drag is the enemy, fortunes have been made (& lost ofc) addressing exactly that lol, overall motor reliability & range not nearly as much a concern as it's secondary in that application.
It's all about your priorities & only you can be the judge of those