USA E-Bike Market Doubles to 159,000 bikes, 908 dealers, & 134 brands!
Aug 09, 2013
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eCycleElectric International Consultants anno
During the one-year period July 2012 to July 2013, the USA Electric Bike market appears to have doubled over numbers published by Electric Bike Reports WorldWide for 2012.
Searches of Customs and Border Protection records, phone surveys of dealers, Internet searches and interviews of distributors and dealers have revealed a doubling of USA ebike sales in the last 12 months.
908 retailers, (not including mass merchants such as Wal-Mart and Amazon) claim to be selling electric bikes. These dealers include electric bike specialists, electric vehicle specialists, motor sports retailers, Internet retailers, independent bicycle dealers, hardware stores, car parts stores, and more. Major mass merchants such as Wal-Mart, Sears, Target, Best Buy, (and Amazon) are also participating, although not in all of their stores locations.
The Bend Electric Bikes showroom.
134 brands were identified as being offered for sale through these channels. Of those brands, at least 54 imported new product during this period. Some brands are represented by product left over or on close out, but at least 30 brands are clearly in business, active, and thought to be growing.
While most electric bikes are imported to the USA from factories in China or Taiwan, companies such as Prodeco and Optibike assemble in the USA. Some complete bikes come from Europe.
Almost all parts (bicycle parts, motors, batteries, controllers, etc.) used to assemble an electric bike are imported from China or Taiwan. Estimates of the number of bikes assembled from these parts are included in the total estimate of USA sales for the 12 months ending in July 2013 of 159,000 units. Compared to estimated 70,000 the previous year.
About eCycleElectric
eCE is an international consulting group that studies the Light Electric Vehicle Industry (battery electric two wheelers) and provides services and support to industry participants, since 1996.
Contact: Edward Benjamin, Senior Managing Director
[email protected]
P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips!
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A lot of people are building their own ebikes. That’s the most cost effective way to go!
I find that an ebike kit to put on your bike that you are use to is the best solution. Converting your existing bike to electric is far less expensive than a complete electric bike from one of the numerous companies that sell them. The plus with this solution is that you do not need to know welding, or be that mechanically inclined to get an electric bike up and running.
Building your own can sometimes be more expensive depending on what your looking for. I think Prodeco is definitely on the right track. Looking to build a full suspension AM bike but add all the components up in your right in Stealth Fighter territory. Not to mention dealing with some of these Chinese vendors makes you want to break out in a rash the service is so bad. I raced professional motocross for years but now at 45 years old and lack of areas to ride in MA love the ebike concept, but finding a kit and chasis with the same concept as the Stealth has not been productive.
I think Pete who runs this site really knows what he’s talking about and doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Listen to his take on the full suspension kit bikes.
Building your own ebike is far less expensive Bill. I took a vintage schwinn cruiser bike, 800 watt aotema kit, 36v 10 lithium battery and it all cost me around $1100. Faster than stromer and prodeco and costs way less to build. Plus since I built it I can troubleshoot and maintain it on my own.
I’ve built E-Bikes & bought 2 factory built bikes.
Building them are fun & educational but buying the right factory built ones is better & cheaper in the long run.
No doubt