European cities consider measures against SUVs following Paris referendum
Fluctuo European Index Annual Review out now
Vosper: “E-bikes step up in a down market”
Stromer joins the ‘Coalition for Cyclist Safety’ to create safer roads for all users
UK government plug-in grant set to end for electric mopeds
Insurers highlight safety and wear and tear hot spots in ebikes
Amsterdam investigates intelligent speed adjustment e-bike technology
Cargo bikes seen as an alternative solution to the car in Germany
More e-bikes sold than standard bicycles for the first time in Germany
Author Archives: LEVA EU
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European cities consider measures against SUVs following Paris referendum
Comments Off on European cities consider measures against SUVs following Paris referendumCiting safety and environmental concerns, cities across Europe are following Paris’ lead with new laws aiming to discourage citizens from buying SUVs
Paris SUV parking charge
In a recent referendum, the majority of Parisians voted to increase parking fees for SUVs in an attempt to discourage more users from choosing this mode of transport. Due to their larger size, SUVs emit more emissions and pollute the environment more than other vehicles, as well as being a concern for road safety. Other cities have since taken action following the Paris vote, and a report also highlights the dangers these vehicles can pose to other road users.
Recent report on SUVs causing increased injuries in road collisions
Belgian knowledge institute Vias has also reported on the vehicle characteristics that affect injury severity after analysing all collisions between 2017 and 2021, involving 300,000 car occupants and vulnerable road users. The results show that vehicle mass plays an important role in the impact of a collision, with drivers of heavier vehicles more likely to be protected by the vehicle (injury risk in a collision decreases by 25% for SUV drivers), but individuals hit by them being more likely to suffer serious or fatal injuries (injury risk increased by 20% for car occupants that collided with an SUV).
These findings also have concerning implications for the safety of other road passengers such as cyclists and pedestrians. Vias reported that the risk of fatal injuries increases by 30% if either a cyclist or pedestrian gets hit by a car with a hood that is 10cm higher than average.
Cities in Europe also implementing policies to curb SUV sales.
With reports on sales of SUV vehicles on the increase, Paris is not alone in its bids to decrease the popularity of heavier SUV vehicles:
- Paris’ SUV referendum originally followed the initiative of fellow French city Lyon, which had already announced a similar policy to enforce higher parking charges for heavier vehicles, which will be applied next June.
- Another city in France, Grenoble, has already enforced a higher environmental tariff for heavier vehicles in car parks and is now also considering taxing SUVs as an additional initiative, as confirmed by the mayor’s spokesperson to CNBC.
- French city Grenoble, meanwhile, has already implemented a higher environmental tariff in car parks for heavier vehicles, and a spokesperson from the mayor’s office in Bordeaux told CNBC that the city and the mayor are “at the reflection stage on the subject of taxing SUVs.”
- Meanwhile in Germany, the city of Tübingen has introduced a six-fold increase in the annual cost of resident parking permits to 180 euros for vehicles with a combustion engine, that weigh over 1.8 metric tons.
- The mayor of Hannover in Germany, told CNBC that after the Paris vote, residents of the city would “also have to face the question of how we deal with vehicles that take up more space.”
Meanwhile, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan implied that he would be paying attention to the effectiveness of these policies. It will be interesting to see the ongoing effects of these SUV policies, and if other cities will also join on trying to mitigate SUV usage due to road safety and environmental concerns.
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Fluctuo European Index Annual Review out now
Comments Off on Fluctuo European Index Annual Review out nowSource: Fluctuo
The latest report analyses 115 European cities as well as the entire European market on shared mobility. 2023 was the year of transition in the industry, with lay-offs, mergers and acquisitions dominating the news in operators pursuit towards profitability. We dive into some of the highlights below.
European Market
The aftermath of the Paris scooter ban wasn’t as severe as initially feared, it did instil a sense of unease. Major cities like Rome, Berlin, and Brussels significantly reduced the number of scooter operators and vehicles. At a European level, there’s been a tightening of regulations imposed by cities.
Following significant fundraising between 2018 and 2021, operators encountered challenges securing additional funding. Consequently, they’ve had to adopt frugal practices, meticulously managing costs, raising prices, exiting unprofitable markets, and implementing layoffs. Nevertheless, they’ve begun to introduce new offerings, with shared bikes gaining prominence.
These efforts are yielding results. Dockless bike usage surged by over 50% in 2023, surpassing scooters that dominated the market from 2019 to 2022. Station-based bikes and free-floating cars are also experiencing robust growth.
Some operators secured their immediate future through mergers (such as ShareNow and Free2Move, TIER and Dott), while others, like Reby, Superpedestrian, and Cityscoot, succumbed.
Economic viability remains central to discussions in 2024. Will revenue from end-users suffice for profitability, or will public funding be necessary to bridge the gap, akin to the majority of station-based bike services?
“Our projections for ridership and revenue in 2024 are optimistic,” asserts Julien Chamussy, CEO of Fluctuo. “The exit of certain operators and increased tender calls will pave the way for European champions. While there may be reduced competition, the financial stability and operational control of remaining players will facilitate the continued growth of shared mobility services, benefiting European cities and their residents.
Ryder Cup of shared mobility
Europe continues to dominate the shared mobility market compared to North America, with a fleet size almost three times that of North America.
Car sharing
Car sharing continues to grow across the board, with rentals increasing by 39% and fleet size increasing by 25%, with the fastest growing markets in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark.
The full report can be downloaded here.
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Vosper: “E-bikes step up in a down market”
Comments Off on Vosper: “E-bikes step up in a down market”Source: Bicycle Retailer
2023 wasn’t a great year for the e-bike market, with high inventory & low sales, and struggling relationships between suppliers and retailers. This is unlikely to improve in the immediate future.
Decreased Imports
A recent analysis by Rick Vosper in Bicycle Retailer shows that the number of imports for both classes of bikes fell significantly in 2023 (Figure 1) as suppliers attempted, and succeeded in, decreasing the number of orders in the pipeline.
Pedal only bike imports for 2023 were down by 41% from 2022, which itself was down 31% from 2021. In 2023 5.3 million units were imported, which represents the lowest number of pedal-only imports since the first recorded year in 1981. To compare, e-bike imports were 990,000, down 10% from 2022, which represents a 25% increase from 2021.
Not only that but e-bikes are steadily gaining market share, from 2% in 2016 to more than 18% of pedal-only bike sales in 2023 (Figure 2). This increase inversely correlates with the decrease in pedal only bike imports.
Some have speculated that when e-bike imports reach 20% of pedal only, it will mark an infection point for e-bike sales in the U.S., and that a large increase in market share will happen as a result.
However, Vosper disagrees commenting “I am sceptical of this projection. Here’s why: some large majority of e-bike sales are in the very bottom of the mass market as low-end bikes shipped D2C from China and other Asian manufacturers. These units have no direct parallels in the pedal-only market segment, so there’s no basis for an apples-to-apples comparison, which renders that 20% number arbitrary. To really see the relationship, we’d have to look at dealer and mass retailer sales and filter the bottom feeders out of the equation somehow. At present I don’t believe the industry has the resources to do this.”
An ongoing problem
Despite the cuts in imports in 2022 and 2023, there’s still inventory excess due to the huge number of imports during the years of COVID (2020 & 2021), this indicates that the inventory excess is a long-term problem. On the bright side, e-bikes seem to be doing better than other product categories. In an informal poll on the Facebook group Cycling Industry Recover, 56% of retailers reported that their e-bike sales are up relative to their pedal only models. Perhaps this is indicative of future buying trends.
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Stromer joins the ‘Coalition for Cyclist Safety’ to create safer roads for all users
Comments Off on Stromer joins the ‘Coalition for Cyclist Safety’ to create safer roads for all usersBicycling fatalities are on the rise. Leading innovators in the automotive, cycling, and technology industries have come together to establish a new coalition that’s committed to creating safer roads, for all users, through emerging C-V2X technology.
Stromer, the market and innovation leader in the field of Class 3 e-bikes, is proud to join the new Coalition for Cyclist Safety (C4CS) to help enable safer cycling on North American roads.
Whether for recreation or mobility, cycling provides numerous environmental, economic, and health benefits. Many people now rely on biking as their primary mode of transportation. Yet, the rise in cycling’s popularity also coincides with an increase in fatalities from traffic accidents involving cyclists. According to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2011 to 2020, bicyclist and other cyclist fatalities increased by 38 percent, from 682 in 2011 to 938 in 2020.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is committed to reducing deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roadways to the only acceptable number: zero. A powerful tool for achieving this ambitious, long-term goal is cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology, a form of communication tech that is already used throughout the automotive industry.
“The safety of our Stromer riders is a top priority, as they travel an average of 30 km [19 miles] on the road every day. Our aim is to ensure that they not only get from A to B efficiently, but also safely,” says Tomi Viiala, co-CEO of myStromer AG. “That is why we have been developing V2X technology for some time now. This intention is one of the reasons why we are joining the Coalition for Cyclist Safety to work with the automotive industry to achieve a higher standard of safety for cyclists.”
Cross-Industry Coordination
Cycling safety cannot be achieved by one company alone—it requires the cooperation of the automotive, the cycling, and the tech industries, along with policy makers and advocacy groups, all working together toward the same goal. Traditionally, these industry sectors had little or no commonalities. But now, the C4CS provides a platform for mutual understanding on advocacy, cooperation, alignment, and exchange. The coalition is an important step in creating a comprehensive V2X communication ecosystem to improve cyclist safety.
The diverse array of partners includes:
- Automotive: Audi, Cariad (Volkswagen)
- Cycling: Accell Group, AT-Zweirad, Bosch, BMC, Gazelle, Shimano, Stromer, Trek
- V2X Technology: Autotalks, Commsignia, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Spoke Safety
- Telecommunication: Deutsche Telekom, Telus
Saving Lives with Connectivity
C-V2X technology can save lives by enabling vehicles to communicate with each other, with roadside infrastructure, and with other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. It works through a V2X chipset, software stack, and onboard unit within a vehicle, which then connects via a mobile network or directly to the corresponding system on a bicycle. This allows the car to digitally “see” a bicycle that also has the technology, and activate a timely safety alert to help avoid a collision.
C-V2X technology has the potential to help decrease the more than 130,000 injuries (according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control) suffered by cyclists annually on U.S. roadways.
“As a premium manufacturer, we are committed to supporting new safety-relevant developments and integrating them into our platform without delay. We are also able to integrate new technologies into our bikes quickly and easily, as we are one of the few manufacturers to develop and produce electronics and mechanics entirely in-house,” says Stromer co-CEO Karl Ludwig Kley.
The coalition will begin this initiative in the United States and Canada, with the goal of expanding to Europe and other regions of the world.
About Stromer
Founded in 2010 and based in Oberwangen, Switzerland, Stromer is shaping the future of mobility with its Speed Pedelecs. myStromer AG produces all of its e-bikes at the Oberwangen site and is the market leader in the Speed Pedelec category (fast e-bikes up to 28 mph). The company employs around 180 people, has three subsidiaries (USA, Netherlands, and Romania) and sells its S-Pedelecs in 25 countries. “Swissness” is Stromer’s promise of quality, design, precision, reliability, and respect for the environment. Since 2021, the Spanish brand Desiknio has enhanced the product range with high-quality urban bikes (up to 20 mph). With its premium e-bikes and accessories, Stromer offers commuters a contemporary mobility solution. This can be confirmed by the 280 million miles traveled on Stromers. Stromer is #HereToChange. For more information visit stromerbike.com.
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UK government plug-in grant set to end for electric mopeds
Comments Off on UK government plug-in grant set to end for electric mopedsSource: Motorcycle Trader
The UK government has revealed its intentions for a partial extension of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant (PIMG) specifically for motorcycles. However, it has advised that the scheme will cease for new L1e moped orders by the end of the current financial year (5th April 2024).
The government announcement states “The PIMG was intended to bridge the cost between zero emission models and petrol/diesel equivalents, to encourage early market growth. The grant has successfully provided more than £7m to support the purchase of over 12,000 vehicles.
“With the market share for electric mopeds at over 40% in 2022, up from 1.8% in 2016, the Government has decided to close the PIMG for mopeds. The grant remains available for new L1e moped orders to be placed until 5 April 2024 only.
“The government has always been clear that all plug-in vehicle grants would eventually end and previously confirmed funding until the 2023/24 financial year. However, the government recognises that continued support for motorcycles is needed in its transition to zero-emission.
“We are therefore pleased to confirm that the PIMG will continue to be available for L3e-category vehicles (motorcycles) into the next financial year (2024/25), with no change to the grant rate.
“The guidance on the GOV.UK website will be updated to reflect this announcement in due course. All plug-in vehicle grants will remain under review to deliver the greatest value for money for the taxpayer.”
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Insurers highlight safety and wear and tear hot spots in ebikes
Comments Off on Insurers highlight safety and wear and tear hot spots in ebikesRecent reports from German insurance accident research group UDV and German insurer WERTGARANTIE shed light on use, maintenance and risk areas for e-bikes
Leading German insurer WERTGARANTIE has shared insights from a survey of 5,000 bicycle and e-bike owners, carried out in partnership with Statista. The study records which components are most often affected by damage, how regularly and by whom the bike is cared for, maintained and repaired, and how the use of bicycles and e-bikes differs.
The survey, which was representative of the population according to age, gender and federal state, revealed many other findings, for example:
- Damages related to third parties, i.e. theft, accidents and vandalism, were experienced by around a third of e-bike riders (33.8 percent) and cyclists (37 percent).
- Tires on bicycles wear the most noticeably at 70 percent; 52.5 percent of e-bike tires are affected. Brakes also often fall victim to wear at 55.3 and 53.8 percent respectively.
- A large part of maintenance relies on the annual inspection. Professional help is often sought: 47.7 percent of bicycles and 68 percent of e-bikes are inspected and serviced in the specialist workshop.
- Bicycles such as e-bikes are still mostly used for leisure purposes. The willingness to use a two-wheeler to get to work is on average 9 kilometers by bike and 12.7 kilometers by e-bike. On average, cyclists would travel 7.4 kilometers for errands such as shopping; E-bike riders 11.4 kilometers.
- The highest prevalence of bicycles was found in Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg with 93 and 92.7 percent, respectively. E-bikes are particularly popular in Thuringia (54 percent) and Baden-Württemberg (49.9 percent).
The data was collected in collaboration with Statista. The complete bicycle and e-bike study 2024 is available for free download here.
Research recently shared by German insurance accident research group Unfallforschung der Versicherer (UDV) was presented with a negative stance on the use of cargo bikes to transport children, with UDV head Kirstin Zeidler saying:
“Parents predominantly use three-wheeled entry-level models to take their children with them on cargo bikes. These are difficult to drive and highly susceptible to tipping over. They offer children no protection for their heads or upper bodies in the event of an accident. Neither benches nor backrests are sufficient for the safe transport of children. In addition, every second child on a cargo bike does not wear a helmet and a third are not wearing a seatbelt at all or are not wearing it correctly. The most common accident involving cargo bikes is a solo accident, i.e. without the involvement of third parties.”
Zeidler continued, “Cargo bikes could be safer if they had tilting technology and seats with head protection, effective belts and a safety cell to protect against impact. For example, the existing DIN standard would have to be tightened up.” In addition to the manufacturers, the UDV also holds the legislature accountable: The road traffic regulations for the transport of children on bicycles do not include any special requirements for cargo bicycles. “The legislature should close this regulatory gap quickly,” said Zeidler. Separate approval tests for cargo bikes for transporting children also make sense.”
It must be noted that, in fact, CEN is currently developing standards for cargocycles, including a standard for passenger transport. The first standards will be published this year and will become applicable in all member states including Germany.
An initial reaction to the UDV research from the bicycle industry came from industry veteran Albert Herresthal, who wrote to Kristin Zeidler, the new head of the UDV since February. Herresthal wrote that the study was unbalanced. “They explain that bicycle accidents involving children are ‘comparatively rare’ and that the other party in the accident is ‘usually the car’. At the same time, however, there is not a word in your media information about the inadequate infrastructure that is partly responsible for these accidents involving cars. Why not?” Many accidents could be avoided with better cycling infrastructure, says Herresthal, which probably speaks for the entire industry. Herresthal believes that this aspect should not be left out of accident research publications.
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Amsterdam investigates intelligent speed adjustment e-bike technology
Comments Off on Amsterdam investigates intelligent speed adjustment e-bike technologySource: Fietsbaraad
The municipality of Amsterdam is working with telecom company, Odido, and the Townmaking Institute to explore the prospect of temporarily and/or locally limiting electric bicycle speeds in the city, to improve road safety in certain areas.
Intelligently reducing e-bike speed is a method that is being developed to improve safety in specific road scenarios, such as school zones, bad weather conditions, or road closures. In order for this technology to work effectively and ensure that required speeds are maintained, electric bikes would need to be connected to a communications network at all times.
The speed change technology has already been piloted on a closed circuit and the next stage of the project would be to test it on a busy cycle route. It has been reported that implementing this type of intelligent speed control for e-bikes on a large scale is likely to take a long time, as agreements need to be reached with the European Commission and electric bike manufacturers. There is also a need to gather evidence across the city on when and where cycling speeds need to be limited, and whether a maximum speed for cycle lanes would also be possible.
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Cargo bikes seen as an alternative solution to the car in Germany
Comments Off on Cargo bikes seen as an alternative solution to the car in GermanyA survey of German cargo bike users has revealed that they are viewed by some as a practical replacement for the car, with many noting the environment as the main reason for their choice.
Source: Fietsberaad
The Technical University of Berlin arranged for approximately 2,400 shared cargo bike users from Germany to participate in its questionnaire. Three-quarters of these respondents lived in a large city and about half did not own a car.
Results showed that 7-18% of respondents had either gotten rid of, or not bought, a car since they began using a cargo bike, with 80% of them citing the environment as their biggest reason, followed by half stating financial reasons, and over 40% stating that they weren’t interested in driving.
Study results also showed the cargo bike received better scores than the car on aspects such as environmental friendliness, raw material usage, greenhouse gas emissions, sense of freedom, flexibility, and price. Meanwhile, the car scored higher on functional aspects including road safety, speed, comfort, and weather dependence.
The results of this study were published in January for the scientific journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior.
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More e-bikes sold than standard bicycles for the first time in Germany
Comments Off on More e-bikes sold than standard bicycles for the first time in GermanySource: ZIV
German bicycle industry association, ZIV, has recently presented positive findings from its 2023 report on the German bicycle market.
ZIV’s CEO Burkhard Stork has highlighted great results for the German industry, despite the region experiencing a negative consumer climate, “Despite the current economic situation, bicycles and e-bikes remain very popular among consumers.”
Bicycle sales and production levels high, with e-bikes leading the charge
ZIV has reported that German bicycle production and sales figures have once again reached very high levels in 2023, similar to those of 2020, when COVID-19 effects prompted a surge in bicycle popularity. Notably, report findings reveal that e-bikes are driving the industry for most product categories, and have overtaken standard bicycle sales for the first time ever; with electric bikes holding a 53% share of the market (with sales of 2.1 million), and non-electric bicycles accounting for 43% of sales (1.9 million units sold). In 2022 the conventional bicycle occupied 52% of sales with e-bikes trailing at 48%.
High bicycle demand in Germany reflected by sales figures
Sales figures for bicycles (electric and non-electric) remained at the considerably high amount of €7.06 billion for last year. “Overall, the market data shows very clearly that people in Germany greatly value cycling in everyday life and recreation, along with the associated high-quality products,” says ZIV CEO Burkhard Stork. That data shows that although Germany experienced a difficult 2023 consumer climate, German citizens still recognised the need for high-quality, innovative bicycle technology from retail specialists, with schemes such as employer bicycle leasing also being a popular purchasing solution in Germany’s economic context.
ZIV predicts a positive outlook for Germany’s bicycle industry
ZIV CEO Burkhard Stork believes that economic, environmental and health benefits will continue to boost bicycle demand in Germany, saying: “The rising mobility, energy, rent and living costs, coupled with a growing environmental and health awareness, are conditions that boost the popularity of bicycles and e-bikes – both now and undoubtedly also in the future. Policymakers mustn’t forget bicycles and must finally fully recognise their potential.”
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