Tag Archive: statistics

  1. German pedelec accident stats show increase in younger riders

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    Pedelec customers have become younger in recent years, with accident statistics reflecting the trend.

    Source: Destatis

    Age structure of Pedelec riders involved in accidents in a year-on-year comparison since 2014 (Source: Destatis)

    • Almost a third of those who had an accident with a Pedelec in 2023 were younger than 45 years, compared to 11% in 2014.
    • The number of Pedelec accidents with personal injuries has increased more than tenfold compared to 2014
    • Pedelec accidents resulting in personal injury are more likely to result in death than accidents involving bicycles without an auxiliary motor

    More and more young people are discovering bicycles with electric motors – this is also reflected in the number of accidents. While in 2014 more than half (54.5%) of the users of such Pedelecs – often colloquially referred to as e-bikes – who had an accident were at least 65 years old, in 2023 the figure was only a third (30.1 %). As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports, the proportion of younger people who had an accident with a Pedelec rose accordingly: in 2014, one in nine people (10.7%) who had an accident with a Pedelec was under 45 years of age, and in 2023, almost one in three (31 .2%). For comparison: In the case of accidents on non-motorized bicycles, one or one in six accident victims was 65 or older. More than half (54.8%) were younger than 45 years.

    Growing popularity is reflected in increasing accident numbers

    Overall, the number of Pedelec accidents in Germany has risen sharply in recent years: In 2023, the police reported a good 23,900 Pedelec accidents with personal injury, around eleven times as many as in 2014, when there were still a good 2,200 such accidents. For comparison: In the case of non-motorized bicycles, the number of accidents resulting in personal injury has fallen: from a good 76,600 in 2014 to almost 72,200 in 2023. 2014 is the first year in which police accident reports nationwide differentiate between bicycles without an auxiliary motor and Pedelecs is differentiated. One reason for the development is the growing popularity of bicycles with an auxiliary motor. As early as 2022, 15.5% of private households in Germany had at least one Pedelec; in 2014 it was still 3.4% of households.

    This is also reflected in the number of Pedelec users who have had accidents. In 2023, 23,658 people had an accident while travelling on Pedelecs. That was almost eleven times as many as in 2014 with around 2,223 accidents. The number of Pedelec users killed in a traffic accident also increased significantly: in 2023, 188 people died on a Pedelec, and in 2014 there were 39 people.

    In contrast, the number of accidents on non-motorized bicycles fell by around 7% from 2014 to 2023. In 2023, around 70,900 people were injured on a non-motorized bicycle; in 2014 there were 76,073 people. The number of people killed also fell during this period: in 2023, 256 people died on a non-motorized bicycle, compared to 357 people in 2014.

    Pedelec accidents resulting in personal injury are more likely to be fatal than accidents involving bicycles without motors

    In view of the increasing number of accidents, it is being discussed whether Pedelecs are more dangerous than non-motorized bicycles. Based on 1,000 Pedelec accidents with personal injuries, an average of 7.9 riders died in 2023; in the case of a non-motorized bicycle, the figure was 3.6 fatalities. However, this is also due to the age of the accident victims: people who were injured or killed on a Pedelec were on average 53 years old and therefore, despite the falling average age, older than those who were injured on a non-motorized bicycle, who were on average 42 years old. Older people are more likely to be seriously or fatally injured in a fall than younger people.

    What is striking in this context is that the number of people who had fatal accidents with a Pedelec per 1,000 Pedelec accidents resulting in personal injury has decreased significantly in recent years: in 2014 there were 17.4 people killed per 1,000 Pedelec accidents (compared to 7.9 killed in 2023). This is also due, among other things, to the decreasing age of those involved in the accident.

    Methodological note:

    A pedelec is a bicycle with pedal assistance and an electric motor auxiliary drive with a maximum rated continuous power of 0.25 kW, the support of which progressively reduces as the driving speed increases and is interrupted at the latest when it reaches 25 km/h.

  2. India’s electric two-wheeler startups boom

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    India’s electric two-wheeler market is experiencing a surge in startups, climbing from 54 in 2021 to over 150 in recent times. This growth is partly thanks to government incentives aimed at promoting clean vehicles and reducing fossil fuel imports.

    Source: Techcrunch

    An analysis by Bernstein forecasts continued expansion, projecting annual sales of 15-20 million units over the next decade, marking a 15-20 times increase. This surge in startups has fostered intense competition, particularly in the mainstream segment, where 85% of the 65 models launched last year showcased high-speed capabilities, a departure from previous limited offerings.

    The average battery capacity of newly launched models has also seen a notable rise, from 2.3kWhr in 2022 to 3kWhr. India’s ambitious goals of achieving 30% electric vehicle penetration by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 are driving these developments.

    Key to this momentum is the government’s FAME II scheme, providing subsidies to buyers, being recently extended to 2024. Despite a reduction in subsidies in mid-2023, the number of electric two-wheeler companies continued to climb, reaching 152 by January 2024. Importers, particularly sourcing components or entire vehicles from China, have significantly contributed to this rise.

    While startups dominate the top ranks, led by Ola Electric, accounting for 39% of the market share as of January 2024, sales volumes remain concentrated among the top five players, comprising 85% of the market. Moreover, low barriers to entry, reliance on outsourced models, and readily available components characterize the industry landscape, with only half of the founders possessing engineering backgrounds.

    As the industry matures, the government is moving towards production-linked incentives (PLI) favouring domestic manufacturing. While established automotive giants have largely secured PLI benefits, only a handful of startups have qualified, potentially providing cost advantages to major incumbents.

    Looking ahead, Bernstein’s analysis anticipates room for five startups to emerge as significant players alongside established companies. Nonetheless, intense competition could temper industry profit margins and returns in the medium term.

  3. Belgian bicycle logistics figures provide insight into growth potential

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    Source: fietsberaad Crow

    About 33 percent of the pre- and post-transport during the delivery of packages in Belgian cities could be done by bicycle, according to the Belgian Cycle Logistics Federation in its first Barometer of the bicycle logistics sector. Currently it is estimated that it is only one percent.

    The bicycle logistics sector in Belgium is growing rapidly, in the past two years the number of delivered packages grew from 250 thousand to 850 thousand and turnover and the number of people working in the sector doubled. They cycled more than a million kilometers in 2022 and a package delivered by them had a factor of 40 less CO2 emissions than with a conventional van.

    But things can still be much better, according to the Belgian Cycle Logistics Federation, an association of Belgian bicycle logistics companies with the aim of achieving the full potential of bicycle logistics to combat climate change, offer fair and good jobs in the transport sector, and participate in creating liveable and sustainable cities.

    In addition to data about the sector, the Barometer also contains a questionnaire survey among 55 bicycle couriers about the content of their work, how they experience it and what kind of contract they have. The challenges of the sector have also been identified. The most important one is that bicycle logistics is not yet sufficiently known among relevant stakeholders, which means that it is overlooked as a solution. Secondly, the sector still faces an economic challenge because it is relatively new. And thirdly, it is important that good quality infrastructure is created so that bicycle couriers can do their work safely. Finally, the barometer contains an overview of lessons from practice and a plan to further develop bicycle logistics in small steps to a market share of 33 percent.

    The Belgian Cycle Logistics Federation wants to publish this barometer annually from now on to map the progress of the sector.

  4. Dutch mobility figures for two-wheelers 2023 – 2024 now available

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    Source: rai

    Sales numbers of e-bikes in the Netherlands continued to rise in 2022, maintaining the country’s status as a leading adopter of electric bikes in Europe.

    Electric mopeds also appear to be very popular and more and more young people are getting their motorcycle license. This and more is evident from the latest edition of Mobility in Figures Tweewielers 2023-2024, in which BOVAG and RAI Association annually accurately map the Dutch market for motorcycles, bicycles, mopeds and scooters.

    Bicycle

    The average amount spent on a new bicycle in the Netherlands was 1,772 euros, 9% higher than in 2021. The rise of e-cargo bikes, speed pedelecs and more expensive e-bikes contributes significantly to this. With 486,000 electric bicycles sold, the Netherlands is still among the leading European teams, together with Germany and France.

    The average number of kilometers cycled per Dutch person has increased by 13% at 1,108 kilometers per year, compared to the 979 kilometers cycled per year in 2021. Dutch people were also able to find bicycle shops more often.

    Moped and scooter

    The electrification of the moped will continue strongly in 2022. 14,910 of the electric variant were sold, 85% more than in 2021. With 18,502 mopeds sold, the petrol variant was sold 15% more often than in 2021. The increase in the number of mopeds sold was at the expense of the moped, of which 2022 29,304 were sold, 41.6% less than in 2021.

    Motorcycle

    The motorcycle is becoming increasingly popular. This also applies at a younger age: the number of young people in the 18-25 age category who bought a new motorcycle increased by 9% in 2022. 33,676 motorcycle licenses were obtained in 2022, 4.4% more than in 2021. The number of young people (18-25) who have a motorcycle license even increased by 9.0%.

  5. Research analyses over 95 thousand bicycle and pedelec crashes over 9 years

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    Data gathered from police crash reports in Germany reveals minor differences in the makeup of pedelec and bicycle crashes, leading researchers to support generalised road safety improvements over targeting pedelecs.

    Research by Katja Schleinitz and Tibor Petzoldt and published in Journal of Safety Research has shed light on the development of pedelec (electric pedal-assist bicycles) and bicycle crashes from 2013 to 2021. The research, which analyzed data from three federal states, aimed to identify trends and clarify whether these trends were specific to pedelecs.

    The continuous growth in e-bike usage in Germany, with pedelecs supporting pedaling up to 25 km/h, raised questions about the use of historical crash data for road safety measures. The study, which analyzed 95,338 police-reported pedelec and bicycle injury crashes, revealed several important findings.

    While there were some differences between pedelecs and conventional bicycles, many variables showed a high degree of temporal stability. Notably, the mean age of pedelec riders involved in crashes was significantly older than that of conventional cyclists. However, the study also found that the mean age of pedelec riders had decreased over time, becoming eight years younger.

    Single vehicle crashes were consistently more common for pedelec riders than for cyclists, and pedelec rider crashes were associated with higher injury severity throughout the study period, likely due to pedelec riders being older on average. Pedelecs were also more likely than bicycles to experience a crash outside of urban areas, and on weekends. The data also showed similarities in the types of crashes involving both pedelecs and bicycles, with cars being the most frequent collision partners when multiple parties were involved.

    The study revealed a significant increase in the number of pedelec riders involved in crashes over the years, highlighting the growing popularity of pedelecs in Germany. This surge in pedelec ownership and usage challenges the long-term validity of findings regarding pedelec crashes.

    The researchers concluded that, while there are minor differences between pedelec and bicycle crashes, there is no immediate need for road safety measures specifically targeting pedelecs. Instead, the study emphasized the demand for innovative solutions to improve cycling safety in general.

    This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the trends and characteristics of pedelec and bicycle crashes in Germany over a nine-year period. It highlights the need for continued attention to road safety, especially as the popularity of e-bikes, including pedelecs, continues to grow across Europe.

  6. Road safety progress still too slow with over 20,000 road crash fatalities last year

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    Source: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport

    In the past year, a total of 20,640 lives were lost in road accidents across the European Union, marking a 4% increase compared to the preceding year, as traffic volumes rebounded following the pandemic.

    While it is important to acknowledge that the long-term trajectory reveals a slight decline of -9% when compared to the pre-pandemic year, this reduction is not occurring at a pace sufficient to attain the European Union’s goal of halving the number of road fatalities by the year 2030. Moreover, the progress achieved remains conspicuously disparate among Member States. Notably, Lithuania and Poland reported the most significant reductions, exceeding 30% between 2019 and 2022. Nonetheless, the fatality rate in Poland continues to surpass the European Union average. Conversely, in the last three years, the count of road fatalities in Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Sweden has either remained stagnant or exhibited an upward trend.

    The overall ranking of countries based on their fatality rates has exhibited minimal change since the pre-pandemic era, with the safest roads persisting in Sweden (with 22 fatalities per one million inhabitants) and Denmark (26 per million), while Romania (86 per million) and Bulgaria (78 per million) reported the highest fatality rates in 2022. The European Union’s average fatality rate in 2022 stood at 46 road deaths per one million inhabitants.

    The data released by the European Commission provides a comprehensive overview of road fatalities for the year 2022, building upon the preliminary information disclosed in February 2023.

    Estimates for the Year 2023:

    Preliminary statistics for the initial six months of 2023 suggest a slight reduction in road fatalities across the European Union, in contrast to the same period in 2022. Several Member States, including Belgium, France, Slovakia, and Finland, have reported significant declines. Conversely, certain countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, and Sweden, have witnessed substantial increases thus far. Given the inherent monthly fluctuations, making a precise projection for the entire year remains challenging.

  7. NABSA publishes annual Shared Micromobility State of the Industry report for North America

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    The report shows e-bike and e-scooter numbers and rides continue to rise, with annual total trips having now returned to pre-pandemic levels.

    Source: NABSA

    Image credit: NABSA

    NABSA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resources, education, and advocacy for the shared micromobility industry, and to creating spaces for the industry’s public, private, and nonprofit sectors to convene and empower each other.

    NABSA unveiled its fourth annual Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Report for North America on August 10th. The 2022 edition of the report reveals that shared micromobility ridership in North America rebounded to levels seen before the pandemic and expanded to encompass more cities than ever before. In 2022, a staggering 157 million shared micromobility trips were recorded across 401 cities in North America. Furthermore, the systems expanded significantly, boasting the highest count of shared micromobility vehicles deployed to date, totaling 289,000.

    This year marked a period of resilience and growth for the industry. In 2022, trip numbers returned to pre-pandemic norms, and the proliferation of shared micromobility in various cities accelerated. The landscape of shared micromobility vehicles underwent continuous evolution, with e-devices such as e-scooters and e-bikes gaining momentum and increasing in popularity.

    Docked bikes just take the majority in trip numbers, at 50% of 157 million trips (46% to e-scooters), with electric bicycles accounting for 30.9 million of all trips within the bicycles category (docked and dockless). Therefore for electrically assisted trips, e-scooters dominate at 72.2 million journeys in 2022. In terms of units available for use across the country, scooters take a clear lead at 172,000 (60%) with electric bikes making up the smaller portion of the bicycle category, at 41,000 units.

    Download the report in full here

    Image credit: NABSA

  8. OVG6 reports upward trend in e-bike ownership and journeys in Belgium

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    Source: network duurzame mobiliteit

    Since 1994, the Flemish Government has been conducting research into the travel behaviour of Flemish people. This research is called the Research on Travel Behaviour, or OVG. In this study, a number of mobility characteristics of families and persons are studied, such as: characteristics of the person who moves, when, why, from where, to where, with what, for how long and how far someone moves. In the meantime, we are in the 6th edition.

    Results were shared in an article entitled ‘How do we move post-corona?‘, with detailed information broken down by sector. The data indicated positive trends for LEVs both in levels of e-bike ownership and in their modal share of journeys.

    Vehicle and driving licence ownership: more than 1 in 3 families own an e-bike

    Source: Institute for Mobility, June 2023

    77% of Flemish families have at least one bicycle, a number that is in line with previous studies. The number of Flemish families who own an electric bicycle is rising sharply. 35% of Flemish families also have an electric bicycle. For comparison: pre-corona (2019) this was only 20%.

    A Flemish family has an average of 2.13 bicycles (of which 1.61 regular bicycles and 0.49 electric bicycles). That figure remains stable over the years. 77.3% of families have at least one bicycle (including electric bicycles).

    The number of families with an electric bicycle continues to increase sharply: in OVG 5.2 this was still 10.89%, in OVG 5.3 16.93%, in OVG 5.4 17.78% and in OVG 5.5 more than 1 in 5 families (20.13%) has at least 1 electric bicycle. In OVG6, e-bike ownership is making another big leap: 35% of families will have an electric bicycle by 2022. Booming business.

    Much more often by electric bicycle (modal split)

    Source: Institute for Mobility, June 2023

    Flemish people cycle and walk more and more: 18.1% of journeys are made by bicycle and 17.3% on foot. The electric bicycle is on the rise: 5.3% of trips are with the electric bicycle and 0.3% with the speed pedelec.

    Based on OVG6, the Flemish government’s goal of making at least 40% of all journeys in a sustainable way has already been achieved.

  9. The Netherlands has nearly 5 million e-bikes

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    The Netherlands currently has 4.9 million e-bikes. Together, these e-bikes have a market value of €9.5 billion. The electric city bike has the largest share in this.

    Source: Fietsberaad

    This is apparent from the E-bike Monitor, a study by Multiscope among more than 3,200 Dutch people. (Multiscope reports some summary results from that research, for the other figures one has to purchase the report.)

    One in three Dutch people owns one or more e-bikes. This amounts to 4.6 million Dutch people who together own more than 4.9 million e-bikes.

    According to Multiscope, there is a clear profile for the electric cyclist: owners are often older than fifty and have an average, to twice-the-average, income.

    The total e-bike market was worth €9.5 billion in 2021. (Not attributable to a specific period, but based on the total number of e-bikes in the Netherlands.) A year earlier, this value was €8.4 billion. The market value has therefore increased by €1.1 billion.

    Electric city bike achieves the largest share of turnover (75%). Hybrid bicycles also have a large share at 17%. Speed ​​pedelecs (2%), cargo bikes (2%), mountain bikes (2%), folding bikes (1%) and tricycles (1%).

    In addition, more and more e-bikes are being leased. In most cases, the e-bike is privately owned (96%). The remaining 4% is leased through the employer, your own company or through private lease. In total this amounts to about 200,000 e-bikes. In 2020, 2% of e-bikes were leased. So there is an increase of 2 percentage points.