Tag Archive: belgium

  1. Amslod establishes international presence with an Experience Center in Belgium

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    Source: nieuwsfiets

    The Dutch e-bike company takes a bold step to keep up with rapid brand development.

    On 12 March, Amslod opened the doors of its first Experience Center in Hasselt, Belgium. This is the Dutch brand’s first international expansion since its creation in 2015 and subsequent development throughout the Netherlands.  The Hasselt center will mark the 17th such site for Amslod, allowing them to connect directly with customers.

    Patrick van Wezenbeek, Sales Director at Amslod shares, “We are very proud that we were able to open the doors of our first e-bike test center in Belgium last weekend. Amslod is growing fast and we also see many opportunities in Belgium. As far as we are concerned, this store is the first of many.”

    At Amslod centers, customers can test and ride the brand’s e-bikes, allowing them to make the correct purchase for their lifestyle. Wezenbeek continues, “Testing an e-bike before purchasing is not only fun but also very important for the right choice. An e-bike is something personal. The right size, comfort, high or low entry, type of engine and support determine your preference. Amslod is 100% convinced that only you as a manufacturer can give the customer the best advice. Only our own e-bike experts know all the ins and outs of the Amslod e-bikes, down to the smallest detail. You simply cannot expect something like that from a dealer who has to sell multiple brands.” In addition, the centers act as a service and warranty department for customers, where skilled technicians can provide answers quickly face-to-face.

  2. Speed-Pedelec sales falter in Belgium and the Netherlands

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    Last year 11,863 speed-pedelecs were registered in Belgium. That is 3.3% less than in 2020 and 6.5% less than in 2019. From January to April, registrations made a giant leap of 41% compared to 2020. Strict Corona measures were still in force during that period and teleworking was mandatory. From June onwards there was a marked decline, which even attained -30% in September. As of October the decrease became less and in December there were more than 7% more speed-pedelecs registered than in December 2020.

    The Belgian trade association, Traxio, attributes the negative 2021-result mainly to bad summer weather. They also suggest that this niche may have reached saturation point. But the Corona crisis with mandatory working from home as well as the supply and transport problems in the sector will probably have played a role as well. Whether the Belgian speed pedelec market is effectively saturated will have to be seen from this year’s results.

    Last year, just under 50% of purchases were made in the name of private individuals, just under 15% in the name of companies and 35.6% through leasing. Belgium has been and still is the European market leader in the sale of speed-pedelecs, and this has several reasons.

    In the technical regulation (Regulation 168/2013), the European Union has categorized the speed-pedelec as a moped. And so, all Member States have slavishly copied that category in their traffic codes; all Member States except Belgium. Thanks to some visionary civil servants, the speed-pedelec in the Belgian traffic code is not put aside as a moped “full stop”, instead a separate category has been created: Moped Class P – Speed ​Pedelec. This made it possible to develop adapted traffic rules with new traffic signs which, by using the letter P, allow or exclude speed-pedelecs. In the main, speed-pedelecs are subject to the same rules as conventional bicycles. A very important element in the traffic rules is that speed-pedelecs are allowed on cycle paths.

    The categorization separate from conventional mopeds made it possible to subject the speed-pedelec to the same financial incentives as traditional (e)-bikes. In Belgium, you can enjoy a tax-free allowance of up to € 0.25 if you commute by bicycle, electric bicycle or speed-pedelec. This can result in a nice financial extra every year, free of tax and of social security. Sales are further boosted by advantageous leasing formulas through employers.

    The Dutch speed pedelec market is still very far behind the Belgian one. Last year, 3,970 speed-pedelecs were sold there, which is 12% less than in 2020. That number is spread over no fewer than 57 brands, which together have 198 models in house. The Top 10 brands, however, have a market share of 89%. The unbeaten market leader remains LEVA-EU member, Stromer, with 33%, followed by Riese & Müller with 20% and Sparta with 13%. The Top 3 of best-selling models are all Stromers.

    Meanwhile, Speedpedelec-Evolutie has calculated that a total of 27,538 speed pedelecs are currently riding on Dutch roads, with an average age of 3.7 years.

  3. Belgian (e)cycling commuters can earn up to € 0.25 per km

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    As of 1 January 2022, commuters in Belgium who use a cycle, electric cycle or speed pedelec may receive up to € 0.25. Last year, the maximum allowance was € 0.24. “May” because there is no legal obligation for the employer to pay this extra. Recently however, the trade unions and employers in the joint committee for clerks, which covers 350,000 employees, agreed on a compulsory cycling allowance. The quarter Euro per km is free of tax and social security. Not all employers offer this maximum. If you work for Flanders Education you only get € 0.15, whilst the Flemish Region pays € 0.21.

    In 2021, COVID-19 resulted in less cycling for commuting than in 2020 and in 2019, pre-corona. SD Worx, the biggest wage calculator in Belgium, was able to conclude this from the wage calculations of employees in the private sector. The decrease is mainly due to white-collar workers, who often had to work from home. There is a slight increase among labourers. The average amount per cyclist increased. From this SD Worx infer that especially those who live further from work continued to cycle to work in 2021.

    In recent years there has been a constant increase in Belgium in the number of cycling employees who benefit from the cycling allowance. Their numbers peak during the summer months and decrease during the winter months. They still prefer to cycle in ideal weather conditions. The SD Worx data only concerns employees who (partly) commute by (e)cycle and effectively receive the allowance. The total number of cycling commuters is probably much higher. The year 2020 started as a strong ‘cycling year’, but eventually there was a decline, which continued into 2021.

    Veerle Michiels, mobility expert at SD Worx: “In 2021, one in seven employees (14%)  received the cycling allowance. That is a decrease of one third: pre-corona it was almost one in four (22%). The median amount per cyclist per year increased from €73.92 in 2019 to €91.20 in 2020. However, it fell again to €76.80 (for the first 8 months of 2021). The allowance is a great incentive to get employees on their (e)cycles.”

    Last year, the province of Eastern Flanders had the highest number of (e)cycling commuters with an allowance, i.e. 23%. The decrease was the worst in the province of Flemish Brabant, from 18.5% (2019) to 8.7%, whilst in Brussels it dropped from 11.8% to 6.7%. The (e)cycling allowance is a lot less popular in the Walloon area, where only 10% of the employers participate. Overall, the measure is best established among large companies and the least common among companies with less than 20 employees.

  4. Belgian 2020 speed pedelec registrations slightly lower than in 2019

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    The Belgian registrations of speed pedelecs in 2020 did not match the results of 2019. The registrations came to a total of 12,503. That is 413 units or 3.2% less than the year before. In that year, speed pedelec registrations in Belgium made a leap of more than 44%.

    The lockdowns in Belgium have clearly taken their toll. The country was locked for the first time from March 17 to May 3. Sales in those three months were more than 26% lower than in the same period in 2019. In the second lockdown from 2 November to 13 December, the damage was limited. Only 1.7% fewer speed pedelecs were registered in November and December.

    In June, and especially in August, there was a lot of catching up. The registrations in June were a quarter higher than in 2019, in August the increase even reached 36%. These figures probably include quite a number of speed pedelecs that could not be delivered in the lockdown.

    It is not clear to what extent the shortage of parts has affected sales. From September onwards, registrations consistently lagged behind the year before, although the positive effect of COVID-19 should have played out in those months.

    Belgian speed pedelec registrations

    Month201820192020Change 2019 vs. 2020
    January525877735-16.2%
    February28171679911.6%
    March434938775-17.4%
    April5541,038563-45.8%
    May5031,3731,136-17.3%
    June8821,2661,58525.2%
    July8491,4201,4431.6%
    August1,0181,0441,42236.2%
    September1,0941,2691,178-7.2%
    October9861,1171,027-8.1%
    November840847816-3.7%
    December8707857890.5%
    Total8,94912,91612,503-3.2%

  5. electricmotorcycle.news

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    Electric Motorcycles News is a new informational website about electric motorcycles. It’s a Belgian non-commercial initiative to present a realistic overview of existing electric motorcycles today and some future projects.

    “I was fascinated to discover so many exciting projects when I started preparing the website,” says Guy Salens, coordinator. “There are so many opportunities for investors, engineers and designers. As well as initiatives from existing brands, there are also new companies entering the market. We need to encourage this diversity.”

    Electric Motorcycles News aims to become the industry’s e-community, packed with information, news, hints and tips about electric motorcycles. And, while the website relies on press releases today, the plan is to establish an e-test team.

    The e-community will be launched shortly on their dedicated website. Readers and followers will be able to sign up, create profiles, publish posts, share pictures and videos, like and comment on content in their stream and interact with other members.

    The website will also feature a wall of fame, highlighting the electric motorcycle industry’s ambassadors. Who knows, maybe this is the start of a future e-award.

    Unfortunately, many bikers have yet to be convinced about how much fun electric motorcycles can be. Reasons for this include not roaring, smelling or shaking like the bikes they’re used to, the lack of range or the weird appearance of some bikes. But electric motorcycles can be thrilling, fast and liberating. That’s why the website includes a video page showcasing all kinds of bikes, from off-road to superbikes.

    https://electricmotorcycles.news/

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