A cycle player provides its market share estimates for electric bicycle motors in Europe, with a large leader who stands out from the others. But be careful: certain tweezers must be taken when faced with these figures.
If there is a key part of electric bikes, it’s the motor! You can already get an idea of the most common brands in our news or tests, but what about statistically? Difficult to say, but an actor from the cycle comes to provide an analysis on the subject.
Bosch electric bike motors and others
This is Velotech, a laboratory specializing in micro-mobility security. Its owner Ernst Brust gave his estimates to the Bike Europe media. They are based on its “30 years of experience and of expertise in the cycle industry“, indicates Burst, as well as a “combination of observations, market analyzes and contacts with brands and resellers“. No concrete data, obviously.
According to Ernst Brust, Bosch largely dominates the e-bike motor sector in Europe. On the continent, the German manufacturer would capture 50% of the market share, ahead of Shimano (20%), Bafang (15%), Brose (7%) and Yamaha (5%).
In Germany, Bosch’s share would even increase to 70% according to Ernst Brust, “thanks to privileged contacts with local brands of electric bikes“. Just look at the (almost) exclusive establishment at Riese&Müller, Cube and Kalkhoff. Shimano thus recovers crumbs (12%), compared to Brose (6%) and Yamaha (4%).
Questionable figures?
These data should be taken with a grain of salt, because they are based on analysis and not statistics on market figures.
The five main manufacturers in the market did not provide their analysis to Bike EU once again supporting the idea of an absence of ultra-precise data, and therefore reliability. Bosch specifies “have no knowledge of market shares by region”.
In addition, in March 2024 we had access to an interesting graph during our visit to the Yamaha factory assembling electric bicycle motors. This stated that in 2021, Bosch’s global share was 41%, compared to 13% for Shimano and 12% for Yamaha. By adding Asia – where Bafang would dominate according to Brust – and North America, the Japanese Panasonic (8%) were also better represented.
Yamaha specifies Bike EUbeing under-represented in Europe, because the estimates did not include its partner Giant, world number 1 with whom it designs engines.
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