A country geared toward e-bikes
City bikes, mountain bikes, conventional electric bikes, and speed pedelecs are among the most popular categories of bicycle sales in the Netherlands. Speed pedelecs are a subcategory of the electric bike, designed for covering longer distances, and can reach maximum speeds of 45 kilometers per hour. Recent sales figures have shown increasing interest in the e-bike segment within the Netherlands: national annual sales of new e-bikes reached a record 423,000 units in 2019. Consumers are prepared to spend an average cost of roughly 2,000 euros for an electric bicycle. The best-selling speed pedelec brands in the Netherlands are currently Stromer, Riese & Mueller, and Gazelle. Indeed, the electric bicycle trend has not just been observed in the Netherlands, but across the entire globe: with the size of the electric bike global market expected to hit 20 billion U.S. dollars by 2023.Post-pandemic preferences
Alongside Denmark, the Netherlands is recognized as investing the most into their cycling infrastructure compared with other European states. As commuters began avoiding public transport amid the coronavirus crisis, Finland, Italy, France, and the UK are now among some European nations under pressure to cater to higher demand for bikes and, by extension, well-built cycle lanes. It has been reported that more than one billion euros have been spent on cycling infrastructure – for example, in the form of 2,300 kilometers’ worth of cycle lanes – across the European continent since the beginning of the global pandemic. Indeed, the Covid-19 outbreak has caused two-wheeler sales, including e-bikes, electric mopeds, motorcycles, and bicycles, to increase by up to 50 percent in the Netherlands alone. The Netherlands also maintained a positive trade balance in the first 11 months of 2020, with an export value of just under 674.9 million euros compared to 664.6 million in 2019. By contrast, the pandemic negatively impacted bicycle retailers. The total number of bike shops decreased to 3,079 in 2020, a 2.5 percent drop compared to 2019 due to the economic downturn brought on by the health crisis.For further information about the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.
