For the first time, more new electric bikes were purchased than normal city bikes. Sales of e-bikes increased more than 40 percent in 2018. The relatively expensive electric bikes are driving the bicycle industry's sales. Last year, record sales of 1.22 billion were recorded, report the Bovag and RAI Association.
Bicycle sales rise due to favorable conditions
Bike sales benefited last year from well-functioning economy and the long warm summer. This is the first time in four years that the number of bicycles sold exceeded one million again. The average selling price of a new bike in 2017 was 734 euros, thanks to the more expensive electric bike, that rose to 1207 euros.
The popularity of the e-bike comes at the expense of the city bike, the city bike. It is no longer the most sold type of bicycle. The share of city bikes sold fell from 42 to 34 percent. Of all new bicycles, 40 percent now have an electric motor.
More bicycles than residents
The Netherlands is a bicycle country, the only country in the world with more bicycles than inhabitants. There are an estimated 23.8 million bicycles which averages 1.3 bicycles per inhabitant. There are now 2.3 million electric bicycles on the road. Every year we travel some 15.5 billion kilometers.
source: www.nos.nl