E-Bike Industry in Europe Sees a 60% Increase in Production

According to the European Bicycle Industry’s (CONEBI) annual report, the production of e-bikes in Europe is growing at fast pace, with number of bikes produced from 2018 to 2019 surging to 60%.

In 2018, the total production volume expanded by only 0.7% compared with 2017. “2019 has been a positive year for the EU bicycle industry thanks to the continuous boom of e-bikes as well as the increasing production of bicycle parts and accessories in Europe. CONEBI is in regular contact with the European institutions to represent the bicycle, e-bike, parts and accessories industries as a leading ecosystem in the EU Green economy and major contributor to the ultimate objectives of the EU Green Deal,” CONEBI President Erhard Büchel points out. 

According to the CONEBI report, the total value of parts and accessories produced in Europe has increased by €2 billion.

Alongside the boost in production, the number of industry related jobs in the EU has also increased to more than 60,000 in 2019, while almost an equal number of indirect jobs pushes that total to around 120,000, marking a 14.4% growth in comparison with 2018 and 32% in comparison with 2017.

“The total joint sales of bicycles and e-bikes remains similar to the previous year, amounting to around 20 million units sold in 2019,” reports CONEBI. “The overall sales value continues to rise: this is due to the increase in pedal assist e-bikes sold which grew by 23% from 2018 to 2019, surpassing the mark of 3 million units sold annually for the first time and representing 17% of the total bicycle sales. CONEBI expects this positive trend to continue over the next years, predicting e-bikes sales up to more than 6.5 million units in 2025.”

“The pedal assist e-bike market will continue to thrive if the three pivotal conditions below are going to be met in the years to come,” explains CONEBI general manager Manuel Marsilio,

1. The current favorable status of EPACs (Electrically Power Assisted Cycles up to 25km/h of max assistance and 250W), which at the moment are excluded from the EU Type Approval regulation (meaning no type approval but also no mandatory motor vehicle insurance, no mandatory motorcycle helmet, no driving license and free circulation as a bicycle) remains in place;
2. The positive momentum for Cycling in the EU continues as a response to COVID-19 and more cycling infrastructures are built to give space and safety to the growing number of people riding a bike;
3. Intelligent Transport Systems are developed within the right EU legislative and technical frameworks in order for cars and buses to detect both bicycles and e-bikes and thus making Cycling Safer.’’

Perhaps the most noticeable trend is the spike in sales of electric-assisted cargo bikes, with the number of units expected to increase 53% for 2020. 

“A 50 to 60% annual market growth is in line with observations of CityChangerCargoBike partners who promote cargo bike use across Europe,” said Berlin based cargo bike expert Arne Behrensen, editor of cargobike.jetzt and co-ordinator of the survey.

“But in many regions the cargo bike revolution is still in a very early stage. De-carbonizing transport, improving air quality and regaining public street space needs more political support for sustainable vehicles like cargo bikes.”

“We have identified for some time that the cargo and delivery bike market has really high potential for the cycling industries of Europe,” commented Kevin Mayne, CEO Cycling Industries Europe and partner of the CityChangerCargoBike project. This survey makes me very confident that we are on the right track, with the sector doing well and a diverse range of vehicles increasingly meeting all market needs across Europe.”