German Industry Association, Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV) have presented data on the 2018 German bicycle market showing that, spurred by continuing e-bike growth, last year was a strong year for the German bicycle market.
A total of 4.18 million bicycles and e-bikes units were sold in Germany in 2018, 8.6% up on the previous year, thus exceeding the 4 million threshold again. ZIV noted that it was not only pleasing that sales of e-bikes have once again risen sharply, but also the bike category gained 2%. The total value of bicycle and e-bikes sales increased to 3.16 billion euros in 2018. This is an increase of around 16.2%. Together with the components and accessories sector, this resulted in total sales for the German bicycle, e-bike, component and accessory industry of approximately 6 billion euros.
Responsible for the significant increase in sales are, in addition to the higher volumes, the renewed increase in the average selling price per bike (including e-bikes). In 2018, the average unit price was €756 across all sales channels, 7.1% higher than in 2017.
ZIV put the growth in the market last year down to the increasing importance of cycling for the mobility of today and excellent weather conditions ensuring unrestricted enjoyment of cycling from early to late in the season.
E-Bikes
As in recent years, e-bike sales were still the main driving factor responsible for the healthy market figures. The estimates of the ZIV for the development of the e-bike market in 2018 were again significantly revised upwards. With 980,000 vehicles sold, the category just missed the million mark. This is a volume increase of 36%. As a result, the market share of e-bikes in the overall bicycle market increased to 23.5%.
Sales of bicycles and e-bikes in Germany (units)
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
|
Bicycles |
3,620,000 |
3,815,000 |
3,445,000 |
3,130,000 |
3,200,000 |
2.24% |
|
E-Bikes |
480,000 |
535,000 |
605,000 |
720,000 |
980,000 |
36.11% |
|
Total |
4,100,000 |
4,350,000 |
4,050,000 |
3,850,000 |
4,180,000 |
8.57% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
Sales value of bicycles and e-bikes in Germany (value in billion euros)
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
|
Euros (billion) |
2.16 |
2.43 |
2.62 |
2.72 |
3.16 |
16.18% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
Average bicycles and e-bikes sales price in Germany (euros)
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
|
Unit Price |
528 |
559 |
648 |
706 |
756 |
7.08% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
Production
According to ZIV data German domestic bicycle and e-bike production increased last year by 7.5%, reversing a recent downward trend. However, there was a sharp contrast between bicycle production which fell by 7% and e-bike production which leaped by 47%. Well over 30% of all bicycles made in Germany are now e-bikes, and it doesn't take much gazing into a crystal ball to see that this will rise even further in the coming years.
German domestic production of bicycles and e-bikes
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
|
Bicycles |
1,886,000 |
1,885,000 |
1,619,000 |
1,260,000 |
1,170,000 |
-7.14% |
|
E-Bikes |
254,000 |
305,000 |
351,000 |
470,000 |
690,000 |
46.81% |
|
Total |
2,140,000 |
2,190,000 |
1,970,000 |
1,730,000 |
1,860,000 |
7.51% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
Imports
Total bicycle imports into Germany increased by 11% in 2018 compared to the previous year. Bicycle imports rose to 2.77 million units—an increase of 4.5%, while e-bike imports jumped by 37.5% to 880,000 units.
Import of bicycles and e-bikes into Germany
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
|
Bicycles |
2,550,000 |
2,910,000 |
2,590,000 |
2,650,000 |
2,770,000 |
4.53% |
|
E-Bikes |
230,000 |
370,000 |
567,000 |
640,000 |
880,000 |
37.50% |
|
Total |
2,780,000 |
3,280,000 |
3,157,000 |
3,290,000 |
3,650,000 |
10.94% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
According to ZIV data, Cambodia was the largest import source country for traditional bicycles into Germany with a share of 23%. The next largest were Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal and the Netherlands. Over the past few years, the share of traditional bicycles imported from Taiwan has fallen and now stands at just 4% of all imports.
In 2018, Hungary was the largest import source country of e-bikes into Germany with a share of 23%. Vietnam, Netherlands and Romania were the next largest source countries. Both Taiwan and China had 9% shares of all German e-bike imports.
2018 German bicycle (not incl. e-bikes) import share by source country
|
Cambodia |
23% |
|
Bulgaria |
12% |
|
Poland |
13% |
|
Portugal |
6% |
|
Netherlands |
6% |
|
China |
5% |
|
Bangladesh |
5% |
|
Taiwan |
4% |
|
Austria |
4% |
|
Philippines |
3% |
|
Other |
20% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
2018 German e-bike import share by source country
|
Hungary |
23% |
|
Vietnam |
17% |
|
Netherlands |
10% |
|
Romania |
10% |
|
China |
9% |
|
Taiwan |
9% |
|
Poland |
6% |
|
Czech Republic |
6% |
|
Bulgaria |
5% |
|
Switzerland |
3% |
|
Other |
2% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
47% of all imported (non-power assisted) bicycles originated from Asian countries, while 51% came from within the EU28 bloc. 35% of all imported e-bikes came from Asia, while 62% were imported from within the EU. With the EU imposition of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on e-bikes from China from the start of the year, it will be worth noting how much this proportion changes in the future.
Exports
German e-bike products were in high demand, not only in Germany but also abroad last year. The export of bicycles and e-bikes combined increased by 8.8% to 1.27 million units in 2018. E-bike exports increased to 440,000 units, up 51% on the previous year.
Export of bicycles from Germany
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
|
Bicycles |
1,090,000 |
1,020,000 |
920,000 |
870,000 |
830,000 |
-4.60% |
|
E-Bikes |
102,000 |
140,000 |
233,000 |
290,000 |
440,000 |
51.72% |
|
Total |
1,192,000 |
1,160,000 |
1,153,000 |
1,160,000 |
1,270,000 |
9.48% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
Categories
While the trekking bike category continues to be the largest category of bicycles sold in 2018. E-bike sales are now the second largest category with 23.5%. ZIV forecasts that it expects the e-bike share of the total bicycle market to rise to 30% in the medium-term, and 35% in the long run.
Bicycle market share by category
|
Trekking |
29.5% |
|
E-Bikes |
23.5% |
|
City / urban |
18.0% |
|
ATB |
7.0% |
|
MTB |
6.5% |
|
Youth |
4.0% |
|
Road |
3.5% |
|
Dutch |
3.0% |
|
Children's |
2.5% |
|
Other |
2.5% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
E-bike market share by category
|
E-Trekking |
36.5% |
|
E-City |
33.0% |
|
E-MTB |
25.0% |
|
E-Cargo |
4.0% |
|
Speed E-Bikes |
0.5% |
|
Other E-Bikes |
1.0% |
Source: Zweirad-Industrie-Verband e.V (ZIV)
