Sales of e-bikes in the UK and Europe rose by 12% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to an annual report by Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI).
A total of 5m e-bikes were sold last year in the region, up from 4.5m in 2020.
These 2021 sales combined topped EUR 12bn, an increase of 13% on the previous year.
“E-bikes are a game changer,” CONEBI’s General Manager Manuel Marsilio told Zag Daily. “There is a reason why they are still the most sold electric vehicle in Europe: whether you look at them from a time saving perspective in urban commuting, or as a fantastic product for cycle tourism and sport, or as a valuable solution for cycle-logistics, I am not surprised to see a constantly growing number of users buying e-bikes.”
The study also revealed that the number of e-bikes manufactured in the UK and Europe increased by 24% to 4.5m units in 2021. Germany, Bulgaria and France were the three biggest producers.
Additionally, more than 80% of all e-bikes sold in Europe last year were produced in Europe. This has saved more than 2 million tons of CO2 and sulphuric dioxides pollution, according to CONEBI.
Together bicycle and e-bike sales reached an all-time record of 22m units sold last year, while total investments were EUR 1.75bn (+17% in comparison with the EUR 1.5bn of the previous year). This investment created 85,000 manufacturing jobs, bringing the total direct/indirect jobs in Europe to an estimated 170,000.
Zoomo’s Global Commercial Director Lisa Conibear told Zag: “What isn’t discussed enough is how important e-bikes are for boosting employment opportunities across other sectors in the delivery and logistics space.
“E-bikes have much lower barriers to entry than regular cars, mopeds, and larger EVs; they don’t require licenses or registration, are easier to park, simpler to ride, and are considerably cheaper to run.
“But there is still so much room for improvement. Statistics like the cost of storing a bike in a London hanger being five times more expensive than a car parking permit emphasises that countries like the UK are nowhere near where they could be in terms of their bike-ability. Governments across the Continent must commit more investment and lay down more infrastructure so that e-bike uptake continues.”
