The electric bicycle market - France (2024)

1.2 A fast-growing global market

The global EAB market was valued at $**.** billion in **** , and is expected to grow at a CAGR of **.*% to ****, reaching $***.* billion.

Projected size of the global EAB market World, **** - ****, in $ billions Source: ****

This market is therefore booming, and has benefited from the health crisis. Indeed, the public transport sector has suffered from Covid-**. In France, for example, many bus drivers left their posts during the initial lockdown, and it is still difficult to find replacements for them, as training courses are long and the profession lacks appeal for young people. Furthermore, public transport users have begun to shun these modes of transport for health reasons. Many people therefore turned to electric bikes, which enabled them to avoid the many contacts with other public transport users and cover longer distances than with a conventional bike.

Number of electric-assist bicycles sold European Union, ****-****, thousands of units Source: ****

Sales reached over * million units in **** , and it is estimated that over ** million units will be sold by ****.

In ****, the bicycle, e-bike and special accessories sector was valued at **.* billion euros in Europe. It directly or indirectly employed ***,*** people[***].

1.3 In France, a marked market slowdown

According to data from the Cycle Observatory ****, the sector is experiencing short-term economic difficulties linked to economic conditions. The energy crisis and the economic situation have prompted many French people to postpone the purchase of new bicycles. However, the medium-term outlook is encouraging, as evidenced by the figures for bicycle path use across the country.

This slowdown is affecting electrically-assisted bicycles (***) for the first time. In ****, the overall cycle market reached *.* billion euros, down *.*% on ****. A total of *,***,*** bicycles were sold, down **% on the previous year.

Nevertheless, compared with ****, sales in the sector rose by **%. This increase is not due to higher sales volumes - ***,*** fewer bikes were sold in **** than in **** - but to several factors:

A shift in the product mix, with a sharp increase in sales of road and gravel bikes, while children's bikes recorded a marked decline. Maintaining a balance between sales of EABs and classic bikes, even if the impact of EABs was less marked this year (***). Inflation partly offset by promotions.

EABs now account for **% of bicycles sold. In terms of value, EABs account for **% of the market, up from **% in ****. It has become the best-selling electric vehicle in France, accounting for **% of all electric ...

1.4 Balance of trade

EABs are identified by customs tariff number ******, which covers"Motorcycles, including mopeds, and cycles with auxiliary motor, propelled by an electric motor"[***]. Although this sector is broader than the market we're interested in, studying French imports and exports will give us the main trends in the EAB market.

French exports of France, **** - ****, in millions of $ Source: ****

French exports continue to rise in value, the Covid effect is not even observable. **** was an exceptional year with $***.* million worth of products exported. The value of exports has more than tripled in just six years, a sign of the market's significant development in France and its increasingly central role internationally.

French exports of France, **** - ****, in thousands of tons Source: ****

Exports in volume logically follow the same trends. While the value of products exported between **** and **** rose by ***.*%, the number of units exported increased by ***.*% over the same period.

French imports of items grouped under code ****** by value France, **** - ****, in $ millions Source: ****

French imports are down by **.*% in **** compared with the previous year, the first time this has happened in years. Indeed, we see an acceleration in imports from **** onwards (***), which coincides with the first containment. Indeed, as explained in *.*, EVs gained ...

1.6 Comparison with the Dutch and German markets

The Dutch market:

Cycling is an essential activity in the Netherlands, where it occupies a prominent place in culture and modes of transport, illustrated by several key figures that testify to its importance in the country: around **% of Dutch people use bicycles as their main means of daily transport, while cycling infrastructure is remarkably well-developed, with over **,*** kilometers of cycle paths, making the Netherlands one of the countries in the world with the most extensive network. What's more, there are an estimated ** million bicycles in circulation for a population of around ** million. In terms of distance, the Dutch cycle an average of *.* billion kilometers every year. [***]

In ****, sales of electric bicycles fell slightly, although they once again outstripped those of traditional bikes in terms of volume. In ****, ***,*** electric bikes were sold, representing **.*% of total sales volume, down *.* points on the previous year. [***]

In terms of sales, the market is stable and should reach *.* billion euros in ****.

Estimated development of the Dutch e-bike market Netherlands, **** - ****, € billion Source: ****

The German market:

German statistics agency ZIV recently published its results for the bicycle market in ****, revealing that e-bike sales have now surpassed those of traditional bicycles. While the overall figures may be misleading, ...

2.1 Demand and its determinants

Bicycles are the best-selling means of transport in France, just ahead of scooters and cars.

Most popular means of transport in France France, ****, in Source: ****

The electric-assist bicycle market has two main outlets:

private individuals ; companies, which make them available to their employees.

Demand from the French will remain buoyant in the years ahead, as electric bikes meet mobility needs, particularly in urban areas:

economic: rising fuel prices and the announcement of the end of sales of new combustion-powered cars by **** are great opportunities to capitalize on the savings made by bicycle travel.in addition, the cost of purchasing, maintaining, storing and parking a bicycle is very low compared to that of a private car. health: the benefits of electric biking are well established in terms of cardio-respiratory fitness, blood pressure, fat metabolism and mental well-being (***). Even if the effort is reduced compared to conventional cycling, the frequency of use and duration are lengthened. For people who are physically inactive, the VAE offers "a physical alternative to the inactive aspect associated with motorized travel. " environmental : the electrically-assisted bicycle is part of a growing environmental awareness that is driving changes in favor of soft, low-carbon mobility, to improve air quality and limit ...

2.2 Year-round cycling

The data presented in the graph below reveal some interesting trends in the use of bicycles in France, for both personal and business trips. A significant proportion of the population, **%, never use a bicycle, while regular users, those who pedal at least once a week, represent **% of respondents. At the same time, **% define themselves as occasional cyclists, using their bikes once or several times a month or even less often.

Frequency of bicycle use in France Source: ****

In terms of how long cyclists have been using their bikes, we can see that for many, the habit is fairly recent. The * to * year age bracket is the most represented, with **% of cyclists, although **% of respondents have more than ** years' experience, showing a base of long-time loyal users.

Age of bicycle use France, ****, in Source: ****

In terms of future prospects, the majority (***) plan to use their bikes more often, while **% plan to reduce their use. These figures reflect a potential openness to greater use of the bicycle, although the majority remain in a logic of stability.

Outlook for bicycle use France, ****, in Source: ****

If today, bicycles are present in more than half of all French households (***), it's thanks to the diversification of their ...

2.3 Vélotaf and vélotourisme: two growing trends

Velotaf:

Cycling remains a minority mode of transport to work compared with the car, involving less than *% of individuals despite annual sales exceeding those of cars[***]. Regular velotaf users are mainly men under ** living in urban areas with more than **,*** inhabitants, particularly in the Paris region. The growth of EABs could broaden the user base, since electric assistance would help reduce the effort required to cover the commute to work. What's more, this journey, which averages * km, could be extended with a VAE, and the velotaf could therefore appeal to new people who live even further from their work.

Although the number of bicycles in French households is significant, their use for commuting to work or school remains limited. At the end of ****, only *.*% of French people commuting daily said they used a bicycle, either for all or part of their journey. *.*% combine cycling with public transport, according to data from the CGDD/SDES Plateforme Environnement ****[***]. Although the velotaf is not yet highly developed, it is on the minds of many people who see it as the *ᵉ option for getting to work if they were to use a different means of transport from the one they currently use.

What other mode ...

2.4 The public sector plays a key role in the development of this market

The public sector has an important role to play in the development of the bicycle sector in France, which is not yet the case according to **% of French people.

In your opinion, does France encourage the use of bicycles as a means of transport? France, ****, in Source: ****

To remedy this situation, the respondents rank the types of assistance the State could provide as follows.

For each of the following measures, do you think it's a good idea? France, ****, in Source: ****

Respondents consider that the best measure would be to develop bicycle paths, in both rural and urban areas.

Developing bike lanes:

with the right infrastructure, it is possible to encourage this mode of travel, particularly for daily commutes to work . Many cities have set up specific structures for this purpose, notably through a much denser structural cycle network (***).

Development of cycle paths Île-de-France, ****-****, in km Source: ****

Île-de-France's cycling policy is bearing fruit. Measures have been implemented since the early ****s by local authorities and the regional council, and have resulted in a significant increase in linear cycling (***).

Similarly, in the city of Lyon since ****, the deployment of bicycle facilities has been on the order of ** kilometers per year.thanks ...

3.1 Value chain

The value chain for electric bicycles comprises several key stages, from the acquisition of raw materials to delivery to end consumers. Raw materials are first processed by parts and accessories manufacturers, often located in Asia. These components are then assembled in bicycle manufacturing plants. Once the bikes are finished, they are distributed through various sales channels, such as exclusive points of sale, specialist stores and online platforms. This diversified distribution structure enables consumers to access electric bikes in ways that suit their specific needs and preferences.

Source: ****

French manufacturers often try to base their activities as much as possible in France, but they often call on foreign suppliers for cost reasons.

3.2 National production in decline

Domestic bicycle production has been growing for several years. It is driven in particular by the electric bicycle, which overtook the conventional bicycle for the first time in **** in terms of the number of units produced.

Cycle production in France France, ****-****, in thousands of units Source: ****

As bicycle sales have fallen, this has naturally had an impact on bicycle production in France, which has declined by **% to ***,*** units. This figure includes ***,*** electrically-assisted bicycles (***). Component supply difficulties have hampered assembly, resulting in lower sales of bikes assembled in France and overstocking.

On a positive note, however, **% of EABs and a third of cargo bikes produced in France are also sold there. Classic bikes account for **% of local sales, while the remainder of assembled bikes are destined for export. As a result, domestic production is mainly focused on high-end, high value-added bikes. [***]

Bicycle reconditioning:

The bicycle market is perpetually replenishing itself with its own products. Indeed, in ****, an estimated **% of bicycles sold in France were second-hand[***]. As a result, a number of players have already positioned themselves in this segment, notably in reconditioning, which aims to refurbish a worn-out bike in order to sell it.

Upway aims to make electric bikes accessible ...

3.3 Distribution focused on retailers and multisport chains

The chart below shows that specialist retailers and multi-sport chains each account for **% of VAE sales volume. Other channels, such as food superstores, online sales and sports superstores, each account for just *% of sales volume. This shows that consumers prefer to buy their bikes in specialist or multi-sport stores, probably for the quality of the advice and after-sales service they receive.

Market share of main distribution channels in sales of ECBs, by value France, ****, in Source: ****

In terms of value, specialist retailers dominate the market with a **% share, followed by multisport chains with **%. Other channels, including GSAs, the Internet and GSDs, account for only a marginal share (***). This distribution suggests that specialist retailers sell higher value-added products, while the other channels probably concentrate on lower price ranges or smaller quantities.

Market share of main distribution channels in sales of VAEs, by volume France, ****, in Source: ****

3.4 A market dominated by mountain bikes

By ****, the French EAB market will be dominated by VTCs, which will account for **% of market volumes.

EAB sales by product category France, ****, in % of volume Source: ****

3.5 Overview of market players

In order to legally use the words "Made in France" on a product, a substantial part of the added value must be created in France. In the case of bicycle manufacturing, the fact that the assembly is carried out in France is sufficient to communicate the Made in France label, but more and more brands are making the effort to repatriate the production of certain parts to French or European soil, bringing back know-how that has sometimes been lost.

The French champion: Moustache:

Considered the national leader in the VAE market, the Moustache Bikes brand created in **** now generates annual sales of *** million euros[***].

Competition from Angell:

Thought to be to the VAE market what the iPhone was to the smartphone market, the Angell brand is positioned in the niche of intelligent, connected and design VAEs: the bike is designed by Ora Ïto. The brand is being launched through a partnership between small appliance giant Seb and Meetic founder Marc Simoncini in late ****. Angell's positioning is to appeal to new cyclists, who account for **% of their customer base. The bikes are designed primarily for urban commuting and "velotafing". The Cruisers, with three levels of electric assistance, kickstand, mudguard and rear pannier ...

4.1 Offer typology

4.2 Consistent average prices

EABs come in a wide range of prices, from €*** (***) to €**,***, exceeding the price of some car models. According to Capital, the average cost of a good electric bike is just under €*,***. As the quality of the bike increases, so do prices, due to rising production costs and the price of the materials and raw materials used.

As far as the average price per type of EAB is concerned, we can see that :

the cargo bike remains the most expensive option, with an average price of €*,*** the folding VAE is the least expensive option, with an average price of €*,***.

EAB price trends, by product category France, **** vs ****, in Source: ****

The chart below shows EAB sales prices by distribution channel. We can see that :

retailers offer the most expensive bikes, with an average price of €*,*** supermarkets offer the most expensive bikes, with an average price of €***.

Evolution of EAB prices, by distribution channel France, **** vs ****, in Source: ****

4.3 Battery type has a major influence on final price

VAE batteries can vary in voltage. The most commonly used are ** and ** V. However, **.* and ** V batteries are also available. According toAvem, the four most common battery categories for electric-assist bicycles are as follows:

" Lead-acid or lead gel batteries (***) and a lifespan of around *** charge/discharge cycles

Nickel-metal hydride (***) and a lifespan of around *** charge/discharge cycles.

Lithium-ion (***) batteries cost between €*** and €***, and are currently found in most VAEs. Their maximum power is of the order of ****** Wh/kg and their weight is limited. The major drawbacks of this type of battery are its price and the risk of explosion if the electronics are poorly designed.

Lithium-polymer (***) batteries cost in excess of €***, have a maximum output of around *** Wh/kg and limited weight. In the event of overheating, they do not explode, but consume themselves. "

Currently, it takes between * and * hours to fully recharge an EV battery, so studies are underway, notably in Germany, to reduce this charging time to one hour[***].

4.4 Ongoing innovations in the sector encourage the emergence of new players

In such a fast-growing sector, many players are seeking to enter this segment, and are setting themselves apart with innovations.

Several players, for example, offer the possibility of converting conventional bicycles into EABs, which represents an advantage in terms of price. Two English startups, Rubbee and Revos, have developed small, removable kits that enable users to convert their "classic" bikes into EABs, but also to remove the kit and recharge it easily afterwards.with prices ranging from *** to *** euros, depending on the model, conversion is not very expensive, whereas the average price difference between a VAE and a TT is over *,*** euros. The French company Ozo, in the **th arrondissement of Paris, offers several ways to electrify your bike: install a central motor on the rear or front wheel, for €*** to €***[***].

Another recent innovation is the connected bike. The Visiobike electric bike can connect via Bluetooth to the user's smartphone, which can then be used as a computer. The application is mainly needed for start-up, since if the user doesn't enter the password on the smartphone, the bike won't start.but it also allows you to monitor your speed in real time, and to see what's happening behind the vehicle via ...

4.5 The electric cargo bike explosion

The cargo bike is a two- or three-wheeled vehicle, sometimes electric, designed to carry heavier loads than a conventional bicycle. Cargo bikes are used for a variety of purposes, the most common of which are :

cargo bikes for urban cleaning ; food bikes (***); goods transport/delivery bikes.

The growing demand for electric cargo bikes on the French market is stimulating the economy, with the creation of *** full-time jobs in ****, and an estimated increase to *** in ****. Sales in the industry have grown remarkably, from *.* million euros in **** to **.* million euros in ****. Of the **,*** cargo bikes sold in ****, **% will be made in France, i.e. some *,*** bikes. In terms of components, **% of wheels and **% of frames/chassis are produced in France, while only **% of batteries and **% of motors are of French origin[***].

French players:

The boom in electric cargo bikes in France has led to an increase in the number of players in this market. Among the best-known:

twelve Cycles, O*Feel, Moustache and Kiffy offer a top-of-the-range range of extended electric cargo bikes, aimed at both professionals and individuals ; Yuba, a Franco-American brand based in Annecy, popularized its first electric cargo bike in **** and sold over *,*** units by **** ; Gaya, a French brand, mainly ...

5. Current regulations

All electric vehicles, including VAEs, must be homologated.

Whether in France, Belgium or Switzerland, it's important to have homologation certification to be able to drive. Generally speaking, it's the seller who has to provide this document. Alternatively, you can contact an organization such as LNE, UTAC or CRITT, whose homologation certificate ensures compliance with French and European standards. It also ensures user safety.

VAE or Speedelec

To be approved and considered as a VAE and not a moped, the assistance must only be triggered by the cyclist, i.e. at the first pedal stroke. This means that bicycles with handlebar gas pedals will not be approved. However, start-up assistance buttons that do not exceed * km/h are approved.

French legislation authorizes the designation "Vélo à assistance électrique" (***) does not exceed *** W, and the maximum speed authorized with assistance does not exceed ** km/h. The motor switches off automatically when the maximum speed is reached[***]. If a driver who has unbridled his vehicle is arrested, he risks having his vehicle withdrawn, a prison sentence and a fine of up to €**,***.

A bike that doesn't meet these standards will be considered a speedelec or speed pédelec, and its driver will have to ...

6. Segmentation

• Velo Electrique France.fr
• Go Sport France
• Easybike Solex - Rebirth Groupe
• O2Feel
• ISD (INDUSTRIE SERVICE DEBEAU)
• Vélo Batterie- Batteries Prod
• Bybike.fr
• Angell Bike (Zebra)
• Cyclable
• Motto
• Upway
• VelyVelo
• Redwill
• Dance Vélo
• Arcade Cycles
• Velco tech
• Gaya Bike
• Neomouv
• Batteries Prod
• Haibike
• Cube Bikes
• Lapierre Cycles (Accell Group)
• Giant Bicycles
• Look Cycle
• Canyon
• Le Marché du Vélo
• Moustache Bikes
• Sunn
• Gitane Cycles
• Vanmoof
• Morio
• 279 le marché du vélo électrique en France
• Decathlon Groupe
• Intersport International
• Altermove (Mobivia Groupe)
• Mobivia Groupe (Norauto, Midas)
• SEB Groupe
• Stations Bee's
• Voltaire Vélo
• Plume Mobility
• Smovengo Velib
• HubUR
• E-Road
• HeritageBike
• HeritageBike