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Summary of our market study
The electric motorcycles and scooters market, valued at $30 billion in 2022, is anticipated to grow at a 5% CAGR from 2023 to 2032, driven by strict CO2 emission regulations and eco-conscious consumer behavior. Dominating the global demand with 90% market share, the Asia-Pacific region, particularly China, benefits from low production costs and well-developed EV charging infrastructure, boasting 1.8 million charging stations. The UK market, albeit in its nascent stage, presents significant growth potential with electric motorcycles making up 5.6% of all sales in the UK in 2022. The rise is evident, with the market estimated at approximately $13.4 million, amidst plans to ban ICE motorcycles by 2035. Exports and imports of electric motorcycles in the UK have surged by 400% and 472%, respectively, from 2017-2021.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily affected the industry, halting production and challenging supply chains. Notably, the UK motorcycle industry has exhibited resilience with a promising 1.3 million motorcycles on the road as of 2021 and a particularly high number of motorcycle rider test passes. The majority of electric motor production remains in China due to abundant raw materials and strategic investments in essential materials like cobalt. The UK hosts 305 companies in electric motor manufacturing, indicating a developing yet promising sector. The market is segmented predominantly towards scooters and smaller electric motorcycles, reflecting the current suitability of EV technology for urban use and short distances.
Growing Interest in Electric Motorcycles Amidst Environmental and Economic
Considerations in the UK The electric motorcycle market in the United Kingdom is witnessing a significant uptick in interest, with environmental concerns, economical benefits, and performance advancements driving consumer demand. Although the electric motorcycle industry in the UK is currently in its infancy stages, with only a small percentage of motorcycles sold being electric, there is undeniable potential for growth. This is particularly evident as the UK government has announced plans to phase out ICE motorcycles by 2035, thereby propelling the market towards a more sustainable future. An insightful study by Bikesure interviewed over 600 UK motorcycle users, revealing that nearly half of the participants exhibited a keen interest in owning an electric motorcycle, with the interest skewed towards younger demographics.
The majority believe that despite the current love for internal combustion engines, a shift to electric motorcycles is imperative. The economic advantages are clear, with the low cost of charging—an estimated between £0.07 and £0.13 for a full charge—compared to a substantial £20 to £30 required to fill a traditional motorcycle's petrol tank. Additionally, electric motorcycles offer the allure of instant torque and minimal maintenance needs, both of which add to their appeal. Market trends show that consumers are gradually looking towards electric motorbikes that can match their traditional counterparts in every scenario, not just for urban commutes. New models like the Energica Experia — promising a city range of 261 miles and featuring in various sports journals — demonstrate the industry's efforts to expand into segments like touring bikes, which have historically been dominated by ICE vehicles.
The UK's electric motorcycles sector is predominantly made up of smaller enterprises, with no large companies exceeding 250 employees. The domestic manufacturing landscape features players such as Zapp and Maeving, while international entities like Niu Technologies, BMW, Harley Davidson, and Zero Motorcycles have sizable revenue figures and are key players in the global market. Distribution channels have remained traditional with dealerships continuing to play a central role in sales. However, emerging online platforms and changing consumer behaviors suggest a possible evolution in purchasing processes in the near future. The prices of electric motorcycles in the UK, although higher than traditional bikes, reflect the industry's infancy and the investments in research and development needed to spur innovation in this growing sector. In the UK, electric motorcycles and scooters are subject to licensing and insurance regulations. Motorcycles are categorized based on power output, with varying age and license requirements for different categories, falling under EU regulation (EU) No 168/201.
Key Contenders in the UK Electric Motorcycle Market
The UK electric motorcycle scene is brimming with a mix of innovative local start-ups and established international powerhouses, each striving to make their mark in a rapidly evolving industry.
Homegrown Innovators Stirring the Local Scene
- Surron: With a focus on agility and affordability, Surron is becoming a notable name, especially amongst younger riders seeking entry-level electric motorcycles. Their bikes are gaining a reputation for being fun and easy to ride, appealing to a new generation seeking sustainable, urban mobility solutions.
- Zapp: As a newcomer with a futuristic vision, Zapp is yet to break ground in terms of generating revenue. However, its commitment to creating high-performance electric scooters presents potential for disrupting the urban commute landscape.
- Maeving: Although Maeving keeps its cards close concerning its financial standing, it is gaining attention for its dedication to preserving motorcycle heritage through its electric designs. Maeving aims to blend classic aesthetics with modern electric technology to cater to enthusiasts who seek the best of both worlds.
Global Giants Paving the International Pathways
- Niu Technologies: Hailing from China, Niu Technologies has carved a significant niche in the smart urban mobility space. Their smart e-scooters embody a blend of modern design, innovative technology, and user-friendly features, making them a popular choice for cosmopolitan commuters.
- BMW: A venerable force in the automotive world, BMW extends its engineering prowess into electric motorcycles, setting high standards on performance and quality. Their offerings in the electric bike segment reflect the company's long-standing reputation for luxury and excellence in the motoring landscape.
- Harley Davidson: An iconic American brand known for its characteristic rumble and heavyweight bikes, Harley Davidson has taken a leap into the electric future with models like the Livewire. They carry the Harley legacy forward through a new, electrified chapter without compromising the thrill that riders associate with the brand.
- Zero Motorcycles: Pioneering the electric motorcycle movement, Zero Motorcycles stands as a prominent figure with its extensive range of electric bikes. From street to adventure, Zero’s offerings showcase the company's focused intent on revolutionizing the way motorcycles are ridden.
Each of these brands, be they emerging local businesses or global veterans, contributes uniquely to the UK's electric motorcycle ecosystem. As the market continues to grow, these players are not just competing for sales but also for the chance to lead the charge in a zero-emission future on two wheels. Their diverse approaches and commitment to innovation ensure that the
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Summary and extracts
1 Synthèse du marché
1.1 Introduction
Electric motorcycles are two or three-wheeled plug-in electric vehicles. This bike has a two or three-wheel layout, is fitted with a battery and electric motor, and is used for commuting, long-distance travel, and cruising. Electric motorcycles segment includes electric bikes, electric mopeds, electric bicycles, and electric scooters, which are two-wheeled vehicles powered by an electric motor.
The electric motorcycles and scooters market was valued at $30 billion in 2022 and it's predicted to expand at a 5% CARG rate from 2023 to 2032. the most important factors in this growth are the introduction of strict regulations to limit CO2 emissions and the desire by consumers to be more eco-friendly.
The Asia-Pacific territory is the most important market with 90% of the global demand, 93% of which comes from China. This country is the most favourable place for the elesctric mobility business to thrive thanks to low production costs and a highly developped charging infrastructure.
The UK is a net importer of electric bicycles, and the trade flow of this commodity of the last five years are a signal of its growth, exports grew by 400% and imports by 472%. However, the industry is still at an infant stage. In 2022, just 5.6% of motorcycle sold were electric. Therefore, the electric segment of the motorcycle market is valued at roughly $13.4 million. Nevertheless, if we look at the traditional motorbikes market, and we take into consideration the fact that the UK has made plans to ban all ICE motorcycles by 2035, there is certainly a huge growht potential.
1.2 The global market
The electric motorcycles and scooters market was valued at $** billion in **** and it's predicted to expand at a *% CARG rate from **** to **** [***]. The introduction of strict regulations to limit CO* emissions by many western countries will boost the demand in the next few years, while in Asia, and particularly in China, the market is already well established thanks to many favourable conditions for the rise of electric mobility in that part of the world.
The Asia-Pacific territory is infact the most important market with **% of the global demand, **% of which comes from China. The reasons for this are are:
Low production costs: China is the world's first for steel producion and third for copper. These are the two main materials used in the production of every electric motor, on top of this, China is also responsible for **% of the world's rare-earth magnets manufacturing [***], another material that is used in many motors. Raw material avaibility and low labour costs are then the reasons why China is able to offer such competitive prices for everything electric. Charging infrastructure developement: China has the world's biggest EV charging network, in ****, ***.*** new charging stations were built, bringing the total to *.* million, that's more than ** times the ...
1.3 The UK market
In ****, there were *.* million motorbikes travelling on UK's roads, an important increase over **** and the previus years.
Number of motorcycles in use UK, ****-****, Millions Motorcycle industry association
Despite these numbers, the electric motorcycle industry in the UK is at an infant stage. In ****, just *.*% of motorcycle sold were electric. The total market of motorcycles was valued at $*.* billion in ****, this gives us a rough indication of the size of the electric segment at $**.* million [***].
The market size in the UK is therefore still limited, if we put it in numbers, last year, only *.*** motorbikes sold in the country were electric, compared with ***.*** equipped with ICEs [***]. However, if we look at the traditional motorbikes market, and we take into consideration the fact that the UK has made plans to ban all ICE motorcycles by ****, there is certainly a huge growht potential. In **** there were *.** million motorbikes in the UK, they travelled * bn kilometers and there was one of the highest motorcycles rider test passes number, at **.***.
1.4 Export-Import
The UK is a net importer of electric bicycles, the trade flow of this commodity of the last five years are a signal of its growth, exports grew by ***% and imports by ***%.
Export-Import of electric motorcycles (***) UK, ****-****, millions of US$ UNComtrade
Exports are minimal and mainly directed towards: Ireland, the USA, the Netherland, Germany and France, together they make up **% of total exports.
Top * destinations for export of electric motorbikes (***) UK, ****, millions of US$ Uncomtrade Imports have reached a higher value, thanks to the scarcity of materials in the UK and to the production being mailnly located in Asia, which makes up half of total imports. The other countries that export to the UK are the Netherlands, Spain and Hungary. Imports of electric motorcycles UK, ****, millions of US$ Uncomtrade
1.5 Covid impact
The pandemic had a bad impact on the whole automotive indutry, manufacturing processes were shut down and demand has been almost non existent for some months. After the crisis was over, we saw an invertion of this trend, with particularly haigh demand, however, shortly after, supply chain innefiecency and issues related to the war in Ukraine and to China still being on lockdown for extensive periods of time meant that the delivery of new cars and motorbikes has been delayed.
The electric segment has been almost equally hit. The copper that China uses to make the motors comes primarelly from Chile and other south-american countries, with international trades stopped during lockdow, electric motors production came to a halt as well.
After the pandemic was over we've seen a renewed interest in the electric segment, maily pushed by enviromentals concerns from the pubblic as wellas the governaments. The UK governament has proposed a plan to ban any "non-zero-emission" two wheelers by ****.
2 Analyse de la demande
2.1 The demand
There is a study by Bikeure that interviews more than *** UK motorcycle users to find out the sentiment of UK resisdents towards electric motorcycles.
In this study we find that almost **% of the interviewed would like to own or already own an electric motorbike (***), the reasons for this interest are economical, enviromental and performance related.
Reasons fro buying and electric motorbike/scooter UK, ****, (***) Bikesure
On the other side, there are many barriers to choosing an electric motorbike, the most important ones are linked to the difficulties of recharging and range anxiety.
Barriers to choosing an electric motorbike UK, ****, (***) Bikesure
2.2 Demand drivers
The main drivers for the demand of electric bikes are:
Enviromental concerns Economical benefits Performance and innovation
Enviromental concerns are of course the main reason why people feel the need to get an electric motorbike, even if there is a strong sentiment that ICE bikes should never be banned (***), the majority of the motorcycle community believes that electric bikes are the future and that the transition towards them is inevitable. Motorcycle produce less CO* than cars, but they emit more hydrocarbon, nitrogen oxide andcarbon monoxide.
Economical benefits are mainly linked to the lower cost of charging, compared to refueling, and to less maintenance needs. A motorcycle battery usally takes ***-*** Wh, with prices of electricity at **p/KWh in the uk, the cost of a full charge should be between £*,** and £*,**, a lot cheaper compared with the £**/£** required to fill up the petrol tank of a conventional bike.
Performance benefits are mainly linked to the fact that electric motors provide instant torque. This means the the motor starts applying it's full force to the wheels at * rpm, whereas a combustion engine requires higher rpm to get to it's full power output. It's also important to consider that, from now on, reaserch ...
2.3 New trends for the demand
The demand for electric vehicles has been, until now, pushed by the benefits that these type of vehicles provide for city use and short, everyday journeys. However, with tecnological improvements opening up new possibilities and the fact that soon electric will be the only option, consumers are looking for vehicles that can be perfect sobstitutes of ICE vehicles in every context.
A great example of this shift is the new model from Energica: the Energica Experia. It's the first electric vehicle that tries to become popular in the segment of touring bikes. The problem with electrification in this segment is that touring bikes typically have to travel a lot of miles, and the Energica Experia promisses a range of *** miles in city use. It's right here that we find another problem with this tecnology, at high speeds, for example highway speeds, the range in cut in half (***).
This bike has been awarded by noumerous sport journals for its audacity, and we can now find more and more proper electric motorcycles in these rankings, signaling a growing interest not just for e-scooters, but for the electrification of all the segments of this market, but wether the industry will succed in making it ...
3 Structure du marché
3.1 The market
As previously reported, the market is at an infant stage and there no data on the actual number of companies operating in the sector or on their composition. However, we do have data on the companies that manufacture electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles and on the manufacture of electric motors, which can give us an idea of the number and composition of the companies in the sector.
The electric motors industry counts *** companies in the UK. Most of them are small, with less than * employees, but there are ** big companies with more than ***, more information on this market can be found in the specific Businesscoot study.
The Manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles is still a small industy in the country, with only *** active companies. Looking at the evolution of this number in the last few years we can clearly see how it's a growing market, and how it was hit by the pandemic, which stopped its growth in ****. However, the growth seems to be carring on now, with many car and motorbike makers putting more and more technology in their vehicles, and with the surge of e-mobility.
Number of companies in the manufacture of electrical ...
3.2 The value chain
The value chain of electric motorcycles, as for all electric vehicles, is fairly elaborated.
The production of batteries and motors is mainly located in China, to understand why, we have to look at the materials that are needed to make these products.
Batteries: the most common technology for battery is lithium-ion, the materials that this technology needs are: lithium, manganese, cobalt, graphite, steel and nikel. China is *rd in the world for lithium production, second for manganese, second for graphite, first for steel and seventh for nickel. What about cobalt? China doesn't seem to have a relevant production of this material, but the surface doesn't paint the full picture. The main producer of cobalt in the world is the Democratic Repubblic of Congo, responsable for **% of the total supply [***]. This finding shed light on another point of strenght on the Chinese manufacturer, not only is China full of raw material, the ones that are not aboundant in the country's teriitory are sourced elsewere, with direct investments from private companies as well as the governmet, very often in developing territories like Africa and South America. More information on the topic here.
Motors: the most important materials for the production of motors are ...
3.3 Distribution channels
The distribution channels of the motorcycle industry haven't changed in the last years. Classic dealerships are still the place where people go to find information about the bikes, to try them and eventually buy them. However, now we have technological means that were not around when dealerships were invented, so some behaviours of the pubblic have changed [***]:
the majority of young consumers have already made extensive reaserch on the bikes that they are interested in when they enter the dealership. Enviromental friendliness is important, so consumers tend to prefer smaller and electric bikes There are options to buy online (***), even if nobody buys a motorbike without having seen it in person first, dealers have to be aware of the phenomenon where people go to a dealership to try the bike, and then buys it online.
This part of the value chain didn't change much, but in the future it could evolve in a more efficient manner that consists of [***]:
Few pooling locations for marketing and test drives (***) IT sources to provide information on the vehicles Financing pre-approval online Test drive at central location New sale assigned to closest dealer
4 Analyse de l'offre
4.1 Typology of the offer
Motorcycles come in different shapes and with different puposes, the most common types in **** were:
Adventure Competition Custom Modern classic Naked Road sport Scooter Touring
Most popular motorcycle models UK, ****, in number MCIA
Electrification is not best suited for all these categories, because range is limited and charging stations are not avaible in remote places. In particular, the electric technology is best suited for small bikes with low power and low range needs. We can confirm this theory by looking at the data from the electric motorbike sales of last year.
Electric motorcycle sales by power band UK, ****, in number MCIA
Here we can clearly see that mopeds and small motorcycle are the dominant categories, while the segment of bigger bikes is not yet developped.
4.2 Prices
Prices of electric motorcycles are higher than the ones of normal bikes, the reasons for this are [***]:
It's a new technology Cost of batteries High investment risk (***) More R&D needed Compliance
Here are some of the most popular models in the UK with the relative prices:
5 Règlementation
5.1 Regulatory framework
Electric motorcycles and mopeds are perfectly legal in th UK, but they do require a license and insurance.
The motorbikes are classified in two categories: L*e-B and L*e-A*.
L*e-B:
Electric scooters and mopeds restricted to ** mph are in this category. They are governed by laws very similar to those concerning stardard **cc mopeds. Riders must be **+ and have passed a CBT.
L*e-A*:
Electric scooters and motorcycles that go faster than ** mph fall under this category, much larger than the first one. It's segment based on power outputs:
More informations on electric bikes classifications can be found in the Regulation (***) No ***/****.
6 Positionnement des acteurs
6.1 Segmentation
Companies that operate in this sector in the UK are divided between UK based enterprises and international ones.
UK based companies:
International companies:
- Surron
- Zapp
- Maeving
- NIU
- BMW Mottorrad
- Harley Davidson
- Zero motorcycles
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The market of electric motorcycles | UK
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