Author Archives: Annick Roetynck

About Annick Roetynck

Annick is the Manager of LEVA-EU, with decades of experience in two-wheeled and light electric mobility.

• Cowboy Raises 23 Million Euro Funding

  13/08/2020 10:38 Comments Off on Cowboy Raises 23 Million Euro Funding

  July 2020 – LEVA-EU Member Cowboy, manufacturer of connected electric bikes, announced the completion of its Series B funding round, totalling €23M. Leading the round is Exor Seeds, the early stage investment arm of Exor, controlling shareholder of Ferrari and FCA, HCVC, and Isomer Capital, joined by Future Positive Capital and Index Ventures, each of whom are known to support entrepreneurship and impact innovation in Europe.

  Freeing Cities from Cars through Design & Technology

  Adrien Roose, Co-Founder & CEO, stated: “ It was important to attract such a diverse group of world-class investors with a track record in supporting excellence in design and technology as we become the one-stop-shop in urban mobility. What has always set us apart is our focus on design, hardware and software development, and a complete service offering, appealing to an audience that may not have considered an e-bike before. With these funds we will continue to grow our team, our product, and our retail and service footprint across Europe.”

  He continued, “The last three years have seen Cowboy go from an idea of reimagining the electric bike to become a desired brand with a devoted community within the mobility space. We’ve stayed true to our initial vision of providing a better alternative to the car—a shift we will now accelerate and lead.”

  To deliver on this vision and enable a transition from cars to bikes within cities, Cowboy plans to recruit 30+ new talent in the next six months, scale operations, and expand its footprint across Europe through its Test Ride and Mobile Service networks.

  Noam Ohana, who heads Exor Seeds commented, “We’re excited to partner with Cowboy in their mission to bring sustainable transportation to our city streets with beautifully-designed, customer-centric e-bikes. We are witnessing an urban transformation as more bike lanes and other environmentally-forward policies open up our cities to alternative forms of mobility, in which we believe Cowboy will play a key part.”

• LEVA-EU to champion better rules for manufacturers as board member is appointed as SBS-expert

  07/08/2020 09:41 Comments Off on LEVA-EU to champion better rules for manufacturers as board member is appointed as SBS-expert

  Trade association LEVA-EU, the sole voice for the light electric vehicle sector, is announcing the appointment of one of its board members, cycling industry veteran Eddie Eccleston, as Small Business Standards (SBS) expert. SBS is mandated by the European Commission to watch over SME-interests in European standardisation through the appointment of dedicated experts. In his position as SBS-expert, Eddie will help drive better rules for LEV manufacturers operating in the European Union.

   LEVA-EU represents a wide range of LEV manufacturers in the EU, Norway, Switzerland, China and Korea, a large number of which are small businesses active in the European e-bike sector. Eddie Eccleston comments; “It is brilliant for LEVA-EU to gain a stronger voice through SBS as this is a key organisation which can help drive better rules and regulations for the LEV sector, which is not well understood always at EU level.” He continued: “The coronavirus crisis is accelerating the use of LEVs as a safe, alternative, green and healthy form of travel. However, legislation must keep up with the sector and there are serious issues where the rules are not fit for purpose for LEVs and they need resolving urgently.”

  Eddie’s appointment comes as LEVA-EU campaigns among other things for the exclusion of e-cargo bikes from legislation that it says is stifling industries that rely on them. LEVA-EU has already written to the European Commission calling for urgent legislative change for LEVs centering on the technical legislation for L-category vehicles – mopeds and motorcycles.

  The European Council and Parliament decided in 2013 to only exclude electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250 W from this L-category in Regulation 168/2013. All other electric bicycles are included in technical legislation that was originally written for internal combustion engine mopeds and motorcycles, leaving manufacturers forced to navigate complicated and costly procedures. E-cargo bike manufacturers currently limit their vehicles to 250W to avoid the regulation and the ensuing type approval.

  Eddie said: “This is a big issue I have already raised with SBS and we want as much input from LEV manufacturers as possible,” he said. “The 250W power limit, which e-cargo bike manufacturers must adhere to to stay out of type approval, is clearly insufficient in view of the increasing weight of the loads and for hilly areas. At the same time, European cities are banning cars, vans and trucks, and e-cargo bikes are being seen as a brilliant alternative. For this reason, and for e-cargo bike manufacturers to really thrive, it is essential that these types of vehicles are more widely excluded from the legislation so that the industry can reach its full potential.”

  In his position of SBS-expert Eddie will be watching over the specific interests of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in CEN TC 333 – cycles. There he is looking to ensure that standards do not hold any requirements, which are too difficult or too complicated for SMEs to comply with.

  “Every day, LEVA-EU receives information requests from small businesses that are totally unable to grasp the EU rules and regulations that apply to their products,” he said. “It is our hope that having a voice through SBS will considerably contribute to both simplifying the standards and making them more effective, through a better harmonisation under the different relevant directives. In particular we want to ensure that the future standard for e-cargo bikes is tailored to small businesses.”

  Eddie said he is now in the process of setting up a mirror group for businesses in the E-Bike and E-Cargobike sector to input into his work within CEN TC 33. Eddie is working in WG5 – EPACs and in WG9 – (E)Cargobikes.

  “This mirror group is not only meant to share information on what is going on in CEN TC 333 it is also meant to consult and discuss the ongoing standardization work,” he said. “As a result, mirror group members will have direct access to and participation in the standardization work.”

  For further information on standardization work for light, electric vehicles please contact LEVA-EU, email leva-eu@telenet.be, tel. +32 9 233 60 05

   

  In CEN TC 333 Eddie Eccleston follows up on:

  –          CEN TC 333 – Cycles – General Assembly where general progress of the standardization work is discussed as well as potential new work items and miscellaneous issues.

  –          CEN TC 333 – Cycles – WG5 EPACs: this is the working group in which EN 15194:2017 has been developed. This working group discusses potential corrections, amendments and revisions of EN 15194:2017.

  –          CEN TC 333 – cycles – WG 9 (E)Cargobikes: this is a new working group that is preparing a European draft standard for (E)Cargobikes.

  SBS background

  Small Business Standards is a European non-profit association, co-financed by the European Commission and EFTA Member States. The SBS reported goal is to represent and defend small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the standardisation process at European and international levels. Moreover, it aims to raise awareness to SMEs about the benefits of standards and at encourage them to get involved in the standardisation process. For more information click here

   

• Is EU Commission to overlook LEVs in Strategy for affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport?

  21/07/2020 12:26 Comments Off on Is EU Commission to overlook LEVs in Strategy for affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport?

  The European Commission is currently collecting feedback on their roadmap in preparation of a Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility. One of the objectives of the Strategy will be a 90% reduction of GHG emissions by 2050.

  Having analysed the roadmap, LEVA-EU concludes that the Commission may well once again focus unilaterally on alternative fuels and charging infrastructure to achieve that objective. In it’s feedback, the trade association for businesses in the LEV-sector, claims a prominent role for LEVs in the Strategy. They offer affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport, which is exactly what the Commission is looking for. The full text of LEVA-EU’s feedback is below.

  LEVA-EU Feedback on the Commission’s Roadmap for an EU Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility

  LEVA-EU is the only trade association in Europe that works exclusively for light electric vehicles. LEVA-EU currently represents around 50 companies, active in various parts of the LEV-business.

  The term light, electric vehicle (LEVs) includes a range of vehicles with one, two, three or more wheels that offer affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport. These vehicles are included in the L-category or excluded through Article 2.2 of Regulation 168/2013.

  The objectives for the future Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy include:

  • Increasing the uptake of zero-emission vehicles
  • Making alternative solutions available to the people and businesses
  • Supporting digitalisation and automation
  • Improving connectivity and accessibility

  To what extent are LEVs at the forefront of the Commission’s mind in achieving these objectives?

  And yet, COVID-19 has clearly shown to what extent LEVs effectively offer a solution for sustainable transport. Thousands of cities throughout Europe, literally gave way, not only to pedestrians and cyclists but also to electric bicycles, electric cargo bikes, e-scooters, electric mopeds, light electric three and four-wheeled vehicles: affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport.

  And yet, the EU and its member states either ignore or marginalize LEVs, or both. With the UK and the Netherlands, we only quote 2 examples of countries that are still not allowing e-scooters on public roads. In other member states, millions of citizens use them for short trips … trips, a large percentage of which previously would have been done by car. Fifty percent of all car trips in the EU are less than 5 km and 30 percent even less than 3 km. And still, the Commission is focussing to a very large extent on alternative fuels and on charging infrastructure, in other words on cars. In the meantime, millions of people have taken up commuting by e-scooter, e-bike, speed pedelec, … whilst a growing number of businesses deliver their goods and services by electric cargo bikes.

  The growing shortage of road space for pedestrians, bicycles and LEVs stirs up a public and political debate, not about pushing back big, polluting, noisy, dangerous, expensive vehicles and giving back space to affordable, accessible, healthy and clean travel. The debate is about how to continue to squeeze all that sustainable transport onto little strips on the side of the road.

  LEVs do not need alternative fuels, nor charging infrastructure. They all work on small amounts of electricity, which they can get from just plugging them into any power point. LEVs first and foremost need the right regulatory framework. Their uptake is very seriously hampered by European and national regulatory bottlenecks, which the Commission refuses to solve.

  The roadmap promises to set the right regulatory and non-regulatory framework for a leading European transport industry, both in clean and connected mobility. The plea for taking LEVs out of the legislative framework for ICE mopeds and motorcycles to give them their own accurate framework is now more than 20 years old. The LEV market still consists for 95% of electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W. These electric bicycles are the only LEVs to enjoy their own regulatory and non-regulatory framework. The market needs new solutions, a wider variety of vehicles but Regulation 168/2013 remains untouched, causing no type-approvals in L1e-A, huge constraints for electric cargo-bikes and speed pedelecs and many people with physical impairments being denied access to electric bicycles.

  Furthermore, LEVs need exchange of good practice, research and regulatory support for:

  • sufficient and safe on and off-road infrastructure for LEVs
  • the modernisation and update of national traffic codes, which today or still based on outdated vehicle concepts
  • the integration of LEVs in MaaS
  • the development of the most effective fiscal incentives
  • the integration of LEVs as full-fledged transport solution in public procurement

  Under the title “Problem the initiative aims to tackle” the Commission writes: “Investments in sustainable alternative fuels and clean technologies as well as renewals of transport fleets by public authorities and companies are essential to achieve the transition that is needed.”

  This clearly shows the lack of awareness among the Commission as to the potential of LEVs in “delivering a 90% reduction in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to support the EU’s aim to become the first climate neutral continent.”

  LEVA-EU herewith calls upon the Commission to study light, electric vehicles, to research their potential for providing affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport and to start a dialogue with LEV-businesses and users.

  If the future Mobility Strategy aims at giving LEVs a primary role, the citizens in the European Union will enjoy, next to affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport, a wealth of additional benefits: congestion reduction, improvement of public health, safer transport that remains available during pandemic crises, huge savings on external costs in exchange of huge external benefits, creation of green jobs whilst greening the economy. LEVA-EU calls upon the Commission to give LEVs a prominent role in the Strategy since they will play a key role in delivering the 90% less GHG emissions.

  A Strategy that aims at establishing affordable, accessible, healthy and clean transport, cannot afford to ignore and overlook means of transport, which already are affordable, accessible, healthy and clean. LEVA-EU is at the Commission’s disposal for any further details on LEVs and for assisting in liaising with the LEV community.

  Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash

• LEV Mobility Responses Covid-19

  16/07/2020 15:14 Comments Off on LEV Mobility Responses Covid-19

  Below is a list of initiatives that are or will be implemented to support the uptake of light electric mobility, cycling and other forms of more sustainable forms of mobility  in European Member states and Switzerland in the aftermath of the Corona-crisis.

  Belgium

  • Bicycle ticket in trains are free of charge –  from 1 July until 31 December 2020. Please find more information @Belgiantrain.

  Benelux countries

  • Countries urge European Commission to prioritize (electric) cycling as ‘post-virus transport cure’. Please find more information @Benelux. or @Euractiv.

  France

  • Bike repair subsidy ‘’Coup de Pouce Vélo’’- €50 for repairs – 11 May to 31 December 2020. Please find more information @Service Publice or go to @Coup De Pouce Velo.

  European Parliament

  • MEPs urged European Parliament President David Sassoli to boost the uptake of cycling and walking. Please find more information @Euractiv.

  Germany

  • Reduced VAT rates – 1 July and 31 December 2020 – From 19% to 16% and 7% to 5%. Please find more information @The Bundesregierung.

  Italy

  • Mobility voucher – €500 purchase incentive (electric) bicycle, scooter, hoverboard or shared mobility services. Please find more information @Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

  The Netherlands

  • The City of Amsterdam tests two heat sensing camera’s to improve flows of cyclists and reducing big queus at traffic lights. Please find more information @CityofAmsterdam.

  UK

  • Fix your bike voucher scheme – £50 for repairs. Please find more information @Gov.UK.

  Portugal

  • Lisbon – Purchase subsidy (electric) bicycles and cargo bicycle – €350 electric bicycle / €500 (electric) cargo bicycle. Please find more information @Lisboa.

  Spain

  • Madrid – Purchase incentive for non-pollution vehicles – Maximum 50% of total price or financial assistance up to €150 (electric) scooters, €500 (electric) bicycles, €600 (electric) mopeds and €750 (electric) motorcycles – €2.5 million available for 2020 and €3.0 million in 2021. Please find more information @ElPais.

  Photo by Alpine Region.

• E-Bike imports into EU shrink with more than 30%

  15/07/2020 17:40 Comments Off on E-Bike imports into EU shrink with more than 30%

  In 2018, there were still more than 1 million electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W imported[i] into the EU. On 18 January 2019, the European Commission published its decision to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on electric bicycles, which had an immediate effect. In 2019, imports from outside the EU shrunk with more than 30% to a little over 750,000.

  Taiwan wins

  The decrease in EU imports was entirely at the expense of China, which saw its result decimated from + 660,000 to just over 107,000. The biggest winner outside Europe of this decision was Taiwan. The country exported 338,570 e-bikes into the EU, 80% more than the previous year. Vietnam ended second in the top ten of exporters, but its export increased hardly: only 1.1% to just under 155,000. It is very likely that the Vietnamese result will be considerably higher this year, among other things due to the ratification of the free trade agreement with the EU.

  New players

  There are a few remarkable newcomers in the top 10. Malaysia in 8th position grew its export to the EU from virtually nothing to just under 11,000. Exports from Indonesia, on 9, remained relatively low at around 3,500, a result similar to that of the Cambodian export, which pushed the country from 7th to 9th position. Thailand booked a “modest” increase of just under 40% to a total of almost 16,000 and remained in 5th position. Turkey, in a customs union with the EU, managed only to a limited extent to benefit from the measures taken against China; it imported around 13,000 bikes, which was almost 5.5 times more than in 2018. Last year, China lost in volume a total of 552,508 electric bicycles. The countries in the top 10 (without Switzerland) have scooped up 37.7% of that loss, i.e. 208,493 bikes.

  Average value

  Switzerland is the country in the top 10 that has exported the most expensive e-bikes to the European Union. Their average value was € 1,714, that is a 7.5% increase. Surprisingly, in second place is Cambodia with € 1,129, almost double the value of 2018. In third place comes Taiwan, which only marginally increased its average value with 5.5% to € 1,055. The average value of imports from Thailand, Turkey and Indonesia all decreased with percentages under 10 and ended up anywhere between 500 and € 660. Remarkably enough, the average value of e-bikes from Japan only reached € 483, very close to the average Chinese value in 2018 of € 443. In conclusion, the average value of the total European import increased with 38.7% to € 836.

  Dumping?

  With the imposition of duties on e-bikes from China, quite a number of Chinese assemblers and their customers moved their operations to Taiwan. That explains why import volume increased with 80%. If there would have been dumping at a scale as argued by EBMA and endorsed by the Commission, then these accused Chinese assemblers would have dragged the average Taiwanese value down. The fact that the opposite has happened is quite telling.
  Obviously, what little assembly is left in China now can only be in the lowest price range. With anti-dumping and countervailing duties up to almost 80%, mid- and high-range e-bikes produced in China obviously become unsellable in the EU. And so the average value of e-bikes from China has dropped with almost 42% to € 258.

  EU export

  Last year, the EU has exported 138,000 e-bikes, a modest growth of almost 16%. The three main customers are Switzerland, Norway and the US. The average value, which was already high in 2018, increased with another 2.7% to € 1,587. The total value of European exported e-bikes was € 219 million, an increase of 19%. That is still about 3 times less than the total import value, which ended up at € 629 million in 2019, almost 4% less than in 2018.

  ———————————————————

  [i] All numbers in this article only concern e-bikes with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W, CN Code 8711 60 10. The results for other electric bicycles are not available from Eurostat yet.

  Photo by Diego Fernandez on Unsplash

• UK allows E-Scooters and E-Mopeds without Type-Approval

  09/07/2020 13:01 Comments Off on UK allows E-Scooters and E-Mopeds without Type-Approval

  Since 4 July, the UK allows for trials with e-scooters on public roads. However, their change in national legislation is such that not only e-scooters but also light electric mopeds without type-approval are allowed. This is in breach of current EU legislation but fully in line with LEVA-EU’s proposals to the European Commission. LEVA-EU works for an exclusion of all electric vehicles up to a certain speed and weight limit from type-approval.

  Despite the fact that e-scooters were booming in Europe, the Netherlands and the UK continued to deny these vehicles access to public roads. Due to the accident with the Stint, the Dutch government ended up in a permanent cramp with regard to regulations for e-scooters and other light electric vehicles (LEVs). The ban in the UK seemed primarily inspired by fear of the risks that e-scooters would pose to pedestrians.

  U-turn

  Ultimately, it was COVID-19 that convinced the British government. During the lockdown, numerous British cities took single-handed measures to facilitate and even encourage so-called active travel. Although the lockdown is over, COVID-19 continues to cause serious problems for public transport. E-scooters are a sustainable solution for shorter trips in the city, whilst observing social distancing.

  The British government made a U-turn by allowing trials with e-scooters since July 4. These large-scale projects must allow for a final decision on the legalization of the vehicles. Tests may be launched until August 20, 2020 and will run for 12 months. Meanwhile, the British Department for Transport (DfT) has published a guide with all the technical requirements and terms of use for e-scooters. It contains some remarkable elements.

  According to DfT, e-scooters have a road presence that is largely comparable to bicycles and electric bicycles up to 25 km/h (EPACs). They have similar dimensions and visibility for other road users. Although, for the time being, the e-scooters should be categorized as motor vehicles, the trial period will be used to investigate whether they should have the same legal status as EPACs. So, for now, users must have a motor vehicle insurance and at least an AM driving license. However, that could ultimately lapse, as is already the case in Belgium, for instance.

  With or without saddle

  And then there are the technical requirements for which the UK has decided to put aside European legislation and set its own course. The e-scooters may have a motor with a maximum continuous rated power of 500W. They must not weigh more than 55 kg, battery included, and not exceed 15.5 mph (+ 25 km / h). The biggest surprise, however, is the provision that the e-scooters may have a saddle.

  In the EU, e-scooters with saddle are in the scope of the L category and must therefore be type-approved as L1e-B “moped”. As a result of the British decision, not only e-scooters with a saddle without type approval are allowed on the road, but also all other two-wheeled vehicles that need to be type-approved in the EU, insofar as their speed, power and weight are limited and they don’t have pedals. It is striking that the power limit is set at 500 W, while for the time being EPACs are limited to 250 W in both the UK and Europe.

  Legal bottlenecks

  The UK has done exactly what LEVA-EU has been advocating vis-à-vis the European Commission. All LEVs up to a certain speed and weight, regardless of their technology, must be removed from the L-category. This will automatically bring the LEVs in the scope of the Machinery Directive and further technical requirements can be developed through harmonized standards, as is already the case for EPACs. The fact that this constitutes an efficient and safe legal framework is proven by the millions of EPACs now already on European roads without exceptional risks.

  On the other hand, LEVs that fall under the L-category hardly get off the ground. In L1e-A “powered cycles”, for example, the number of homologations is virtually non-existent. And the fact that everything above 250W belongs to the L-category also weighs heavily on the development of electric cargo bikes. Still, COVID-19 has also proved that these vehicles urgently need further development, all the more since they are a godsend to help decarbonise the logistics sector.

  On the other hand, there are currently a lot of e-scooters with saddles in the EU that are not type-approved and therefore illegal (see https://bit.ly/3gHVSQU) LEVA-EU is eagerly awaiting the results of the British trials, but continues in the meantime to urge the European Commission to quickly resolve the legal bottlenecks in European legislation.

  Below are the main requirements for e-scooters as listed in the DfT guide. The full version of the guide is here.

  Vehicle design: current position (art. 3.1.)

  An e-scooter will continue to fall within the statutory definition of a motor vehicle. DfT define the sub-category of an e-scooter as being a motor vehicle that:

  • Is fitted with no motor other than an electric motor with a maximum continuous power rating of 500W and is not fitted with pedals that are capable of propelling the vehicle.
  • Is designed to carry no more than one person.
  • Has a maximum speed not exceeding 15.5 mph.
  • Has 2 wheels, 1 front and 1 rear, aligned along the direction of travel.
  • Has a mass including the battery, but excluding the rider, not exceeding 55kg.
  • Has means of directional control via the use of handlebars that are mechanically linked to the steered wheel.
  • Has means of controlling the speed via hand controls and a power control that defaults to the ‘off’ position.

  Terms of use (art. 3.2.)

  • E-scooters in trials need to be covered by a motor vehicle insurance policy. Rental operators must ensure a policy is in place that covers users of the vehicles.
  • E-scooter users need to have at least a valid AM driving license.
  • Wearing a helmet is not mandatory but recommended.

  Use on the Road (art. 3.3.)

  • E-scooters are allowed to use the same road space as cycles and EAPCs.

   

• EU LEV market continues to grow and flourish

  07/07/2020 15:27 Comments Off on EU LEV market continues to grow and flourish

  The 2019 results for the European light, electric vehicle (LEV) market show a sector that continues to grow and prosper in all its segments. This is largely due to the fact that LEVs are sustainable means of transport, which become more and more popular as a solution to escape congestion, to prevent further damage to our climate and, importantly, a fun way of moving around that has an overall positive impact on public health.

  The Corona-crisis has unexpectedly put that health benefit of LEVs even more in the spotlight. Unfortunately, among policymakers, especially at EU level, there is still a huge lack of awareness as to the potential contribution of LEVs in making transport more sustainable. LEVA-EU works tirelessly to raise that awareness, to encourage policy-makers to design policies and legislation that encourage LEVs as well as to remove the various legal bottlenecks, which continue to seriously hinder the market development and uptake of LEVs.

  Even though there is still a lack of consistent statistical material, LEVA-EU is meticulously gathering statistics from all available sources and has brought these statistics together in one clear document for its members. The main conclusions for 2019 are as follows.

  Electric bicycles

  Total e-bike sales for 2019 currently stand at 2,285 million, which is quite a bit lower than the almost 2.8 million sold in 2018. However, not all member states have published their final 2019 results. The final total is expected to be at least around 3 million.

  The biggest e-bike market is Germany where 1.36 million were sold last year, followed by the Netherlands, 423,000, and Belgium, 238,000. These are also the countries where e-bikes have the highest share in total bike sales, i.e. 31.5%, 42% and 51% respectively.

  The biggest market for speed pedelecs is Belgium with a total of 13,416 last year. Belgium is the only speed pedelec market that constantly grows. This is because Belgium is the only EU member states that has made special provisions to accommodate the speed pedelec in their traffic code (see https://bit.ly/2VVEvUW)

  Electric mopeds

  The biggest market in 2019 for electric mopeds was Belgium, with just about 16,000 registrations, i.e. almost 56% up. In 2019 there was still a subsidy for e-mopeds available, which unfortunately has been abandoned in the meantime. France is the second market with almost 14,000 registrations (+33.5%), followed by the Netherlands with just under 12,500 registrations (+52.6%).

  Finally, we also have a first statistic on the sales of Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) such as e-scooters, self-balancing vehicles, e-monowheels, e-hoverboards and other PLEVs excluded from the L-category. In France, total sales reached more than 605,000 vehicles, that is “only” 5% more than in 2018, but 400% up since 2016.

  For more detailed statistics, please contact Annick Roetynck at LEVA-EU: annick@leva-eu.com, tel. +32 9 233 60 05.

  Photo by Tolu Olarewaju on Unsplash

• Former Shimano Chairman Yoshizo Shimano passes away

  14:41 Comments Off on Former Shimano Chairman Yoshizo Shimano passes away

  OSAKA, JAPAN July 6, 2020 – It is with profound sadness that Shimano has announced the passing of their Chairman Emeritus and former Chairman Yoshizo Shimano. Yoshizo died of chronic heart failure at the age of 85 on July 3, 2020.

  The contributions he made to Shimano’s business cannot be measured and his impact will be felt forever.

  The funeral has been held by close relatives, with his surviving wife, Ms. Ikuko Shimano, representing the family.
  _____________________________________________________________________________
  PROFILE
  Yoshizo Shimano
  Born Nov 27, 1934

  1934 Born as the third son of the founder Mr. Shozaburo Shimano.
  1965 Assume the position of President of Shimano American, the sales subsidiary in the United States.
  Through his twenty-seven year residence there, Yoshizo contributed greatly in developing the overseas market.
  1995 Assume the position of President of Shimano Inc.
  2001 Assume the position of Chairman of Shimano Inc.
  2012 Assume the position of Chairman Emeritus of Shimano Inc.
  He has been powerfully leading the Japanese bicycle industry for a decade since 2001 as President of the Bicycle Association of Japan (now the General Bicycle Association), serving as its honorary chairman since 2011.

• Average CO2 emissions from new cars and new vans increased again in 2019

  06/07/2020 17:55 Leave a Comment

  According to provisional data, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars registered in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom (UK), increased in 2019, for the third consecutive year. The average CO2 emissions from new vans also increased slightly. Zero- and low-emission vehicles must be deployed much faster across Europe to achieve the stricter targets that apply from 2020.

  The EEA has published the provisional data for the average CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars and vans registered in the EU, Iceland, Norway and the UK in 2019. The provisional 2019 data on new registrations can be explored through a new EEA data dashboard.

  After a steady decline from 2010 to 2016, by almost 22 grams of CO₂ per kilometre (g CO₂/km), average emissions from new passenger cars increased in 2017 and in 2018 (by 2.8 g CO₂/km in total). According to provisional data, the upward trend continued with an additional increase of 1.6 g CO₂/km in 2019, reaching 122.4 grams of CO₂ per kilometre. This remains below the target of 130 g CO2/km that applied until 2019 but well above the EU target of 95 g CO₂/km that phases-in this year.

  The reasons for the increase in car emissions include the growing share of the sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment. The market penetration of electric cars remained slow in 2019.

  Vans registered in the EU, Iceland, Norway and the UK in 2019 emitted on average 158.4 g CO₂/km, which is 0.5 g/km more than in 2018. This remains well below the target of 175 g CO₂/km that applied until 2019 but is still 11 g CO₂/km higher than the EU target of 147 g CO₂/km that applies from  this year on. Several factors affected this emission increase, including an increase in the average mass and only a limited increase of the share of electric vans (BEV sand PHEV) from 0.8 % in 2018 to 1.3% in 2019.

  Further details are here.

   

  Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash