Buy the full study
Summary of our market study
The French cargo bike market is estimated at between €42 and €52 million in 2023.
The global cargo bike market, valued at $900 million in 2022, is enjoying robust growth, with an expected CAGR of 9% through to 2032.
Europe accounts for 42.2% of the global market, with sales estimated at between 400,000 and 500,000 units by 2022. The market is driven by electric cargo bikes.
There are no European standards for cargo bikes.
The rise of the cargo bike market in France
Cargo bikes appeal to a wide range of users, from families to businesses, particularly in urban areas.
In France, the market has grown more than tenfold in five years, reaching 33,000 units sold by 2022. Its value, ranging from €3.1 to €5.1 million in 2018, is estimated at €42.3 to €52.3 million in 2023.
Electrically-assisted cargo bikes represent 3% of the electrically-assisted bicycle (EAB) market, with an average price of €4,118 in 2021.
Cargo bikes are capable of meeting a variety of needs, such as urban cleaning, food sales and, in particular, "last-mile delivery". This segment is experiencing enormous growth due to the explosion of e-commerce. Cargo bikes are a viable and environmentally-friendly solution for city deliveries, particularly for the delivery of postal parcels, which total between 9.0 and 9.4 billion in France.
55% of households own at least one bicycle, and 10% of households are equipped with electrically-assisted bicycles.
Cargo bike industry players
- Yuba has established itself as a forerunner in the cargo bike market.
- Douze Cycles: Supplier of top-of-the-range cargo bikes.
- Nihola: Assembles and distributes cargo bikes whose parts are machined in France.
- Kiffy: Innovative design.
- Oklö: In partnership with Décathlon, Oklö brings cargo bikes within reach of the general public.
- Cyclable
- Altermove: Specialist in electric mobility.
to understand this market
Detailed content of our market study
Inforamtion
- Number of pages : ~ 40 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update :
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of the study
The cargo bike is a two- or three-wheeled land vehicle, sometimes electric, designed to carry heavier loads than a conventional bicycle. Cargo bikes are used for a variety of purposes, the most common of which are :
- cargo bikes for urban cleaning;
- food bikes (coffee bikes, waffle bikes, etc.);
- Freight transport/delivery bikes.
The global cargo bike market has been growing exponentially for several years, currently valued at $900 million, and is expected to increase at a CAGR of 9% until 2032. In Europe alone, between 400,000 and 500,000 bikes were sold in 2022. Cargo bikes, most of them electric, meet a growing demand for new modes of transport in increasingly urbanized environments. Their popularity is also due to rising living standards and global environmental awareness.
The cargo bike market is also very dynamic in France, with a market size multiplied by more than ten in five years and 33,000 units sold by 2022. The majority of cargo bikes sold are electric and imported. The range is extremely varied, with models on average much more expensive than other electrically-assisted bicycles (EABs), and three-wheelers (cargo bikes with three wheels) are the biggest sellers.
There are no major players in the global cargo bike market, as the majority are SMEs. In France, the biggest player is Yuba, a Franco-Californian company, but new entrants are constantly arriving on the market, increasing the number of jobs.most of the companies offering cargo bikes originally specialized in electric bikes, and have recently diversified their offer in response to the boom in this new type of transport. Major retailers are just beginning to offer cargo bike models, such as Décathlon' s Oklö and Toyota' s Cargo Verso. However, the preferred distribution channels remain retailers.
1.2 A fast-growing global market
The global cargo bike market was estimated at $*** million in ****, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of *% to ****.
Global cargo bike market size projections World, **** - ****, in $ millions Source: ****
This growth is driven by a growing interest in recreational activities. This segment is also benefiting from urbanization, rising living ...
1.3 The European market leads the way
To study the outlook for the European market, we use a survey carried out by CCCB (***) on ** European cargo bike companies.
Survey of ** European cargo bike vendors: market outlook Europe, ****-*****, in number of bikes sold Source: ****
The graph above shows the market growth outlook. Sales volumes continue to grow year ...
1.4 A very dynamic French market
Although cargo bikes have been around for many years, it's the electrification process that's giving them a new lease of life these days, along with the support of local authorities.for example, the Ile-de-France region has launched three models (***). The cities of Grenoble, Strasbourg and Nantes also offer them for ...
1.5 A trade balance heavily weighted towards imports
According to theCycle **** Observatory, **% of cargo bikes sold in **** were manufactured in France, corresponding to *,*** units. France is therefore a major importer in this sector. Unfortunately, we do not have access to French foreign trade figures for the very specific cargo bike sector.s by customs tariff number ******, which covers"Motorcycles, ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Cargo bike uses and users
Bicycles are the best-selling means of transport in France, just ahead of scooters and cars.
Most popular means of transport in France France, ****, in Source: ****
According to a report published byAdeme in April ****, **% of French households own at least one bicycle. Of these, **% have at least one conventional bicycle. What's more, ...
2.2 Home delivery in the city, a growth segment for cargo bikes
E-commerce is undergoing a period of significant growth, particularly in the wake of the health crisis. According to the Fevad (***) **** report, the sector has recorded solid growth, with total sales of ***.* billion euros, an increase of **.*% compared to ****[Francenum.as a result, withurbanization facilitating delivery by cargo bike, the development of ...
2.3 Year-round bicycle use
If bicycles are now present in more than half of all French households (***), it's thanks to the diversification of their uses. While the leisure bike is still mainly used in summer, its daily use for utility purposes is becoming increasingly popular, and the"velotaf", the practice of using one's bike to ...
2.4 The key role of the public sector
The public sector has an important role to play in the development of the bicycle sector in France, which is not yet the case according to **% of French people.
In your opinion, does France encourage the use of bicycles as a means of transport? France, ****, in Source: ****
To remedy this situation, ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Company and production structure
Source: ****
The boom in electric cargo bikes in France has led to an increase in the number of players in this sector. The best-known are Douze Cycles, O*Feel, Moustache and Kiffy, which offer a high-end range of electric cargo bikes for professionals and individuals. Yuba, a Franco-American brand, popularized its ...
3.2 Overview of the French market
In ****, *,*** cargo bikes manufactured in France were sold. Most of these were three-wheelers or tricycles, accounting for **.*% of volumes produced.
Number of cargo bikes or trailers produced in **** France, ****, in units Source: ****
Next in line are two-wheelers (***), which are integrated into cargo bikes. The cargo bike sector has been gaining in ...
3.3 Distribution focused on retailers and multisport chains
By ****, the French market for VAE (***) after VTCs.
Breakdown of EAB sales by product category France, ****, in % of volumes Source: ****
Retailers and multisport chains dominate distribution in the bicycle market. In terms of value, retailers account for **% of the market, ahead of multisport chains (***). In terms of volume, multisport chains dominate ...
3.4 Delivery market structure
With the cargo bike set to become an increasingly important part of the delivery process, it's worth taking a look at the structure of the current delivery market. France is the third largest e-commerce market in Europe and the sixth largest in the world, making it a significant opportunity for e-tailers ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Typology of supply and price of cargo bikes
There are three main types of cargo bike, each designed for a different purpose, and listed in the table below:
For the prices shown in the table, we selected the top price in each category from the HollandBikes brand website, and used information from UFC Que Choisir and vélos-cargo. ...
4.2 Consistent average prices
Electric cargo bikes rank first among the most expensive e-bikes, with an average price of €*,*** in ****.
EAB price trends, by product category France, **** vs ****, in Source: ****
Electric cargo bikes come in a range of prices, depending on the model chosen. The initial cost for a simple two-wheeler without suspension is around ...
4.3 Battery prices have a major impact on the final price
VAE batteries can vary in voltage. The most commonly used are ** and ** V. However, **.* and ** V batteries are also available. According toAvem, the four most common battery categories for electric-assist bicycles are as follows:
" Lead-acid or lead gel batteries (***) and a lifespan of around *** charge/discharge cycles
Nickel-metal hydride (***) and ...
4.4 Characteristics of different cargo bikes
Below is a more detailed typology of the different types of cargo bikes found on the French market, for both private and professional customers. However, cargo bikes for professionals can also be custom-designed, as offered on the ILI Cycles website.
Source: ****
5 Regulations
5.1 Current regulations
The ISO **** standard
The ISO **** standard was introduced in **** and recently revised in ****. It defines all the terms and designations relating to safety and performance requirements for bicycles and bicycle-related sub-assemblies. These are important codifications to observe during design, assembly as well as testing. The bicycles concerned include
Young adult bikes ...
5.2 Current lack of regulations for cargo bikes
According to Olivier Mouche-Boeuf, from Union Sport & Cycle (***), "there are as yet no European standards for three-wheeled cargo bikes, with or without electric assistance".
The industry is therefore working on the subject. In France, Afnor has already established a standard for "utility" bikes, NF*****, which includes static and dynamic stability ...
6 Positioning the players
6. Player segmentation
- Douze Cycles
- Nihola
- Kiffy O2SWITCH
- Cyclable
- Oklö
- Altermove (Mobivia Groupe)
- Cogepart
- Colis Privé
- Colisweb
- Stuart
- Yuba
- Toyota
- VUF Bikes
- Kleuster - Jean Lain Automobiles
- Calendar Bikes
- Arcade Cycles
- Gaya Bike
- Jhog
- Ligier Groupe
List of charts presented in this market study
- Projected size of the global cargo bike market
- Survey of 38 European cargo bike dealers: market outlook
- Countries most cited as the most dynamic European market among the 38 survey participants
- Share of electric cargo bikes in the overall distribution of the 38 survey participants
- Best-selling means of transport in France
All our studies are available online in PDF format
Take a look at an example of our research on another market!
Latest news
Arcade Cycles resists and progresses in the bicycle market - 27/03/2024
- Specialist in bicycle fleets for rental companies and local authorities
- Arcade Cycles targets sales of 39 million euros in 2023, up from 37.4 million in 2022
- 124 permanent employees
- New plant in La Roche-sur-Yon to double capacity to 120,000 cycles
- Sales target of 100 million euros in 2030, with 120,000 bicycles sold and 200 employees.
Gaya relocates production to Arcade Cycles in Vendée - 14/11/2023
- Gaya foundation: 2021
- Bike prices: 2,000 and 2,700 euros
- Bicycle capacity: 1 to 3 passengers
- Number of bikes sold since launch in June 2022: 2,500
- Bikes assembled in France by Arcade Cycles (bike seller and assembler)
- Former bicycle assembly and painting site: Czech Republic
- Production target for 2024: 5,000 bikes
- Frame and mechanism production to remain in Asia
- Fundraising: 2 million euros.
Why Douze Cycles believes its cargo bike market will continue to grow - 09/10/2023
- Douze Cycles has just set up a second cargo bike assembly workshop in Longvic.
- The brand works with 220 dealers in Europe, including 80 in France
- It also supplies fleets to local authorities (Véligo in Ile de France, etc.) and assembles for 2 cycle brands and Toyota France (3-year contract for 5,500 aluminum electric-assist cargo bikes)
- 2023 target: 3,000 cargo bikes, almost all electrically assisted, including 500 from Toyota
- Former Medef boss Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux's investment fund holds 25% of the capital
- By 2024, there will be 6,000 cargo bikes, including 2,000 for Toyota.
- The new workshop has a capacity of 6,000 bikes
- In 2022, 33,000 cargo bikes were sold in France, almost double the figure for 2021.
- The forecast for 2024 is 50,000 units
- The Toyota electric two-wheeler sells for 6,195 euros, excluding accessories
- Decathlon has just launched a longtail model at less than 3,000 euros.
Delivery: La Poste stops charging with Stuart - 19/09/2023
- La Poste acquired Stuart in 2017.
- Stuart operates in over 100 cities in Europe.
- It has over 200 employees in France.
- Stuart generated sales of 400 million euros.
- Seventh acquisition of the German Mutares group in 2023.
- In recent years, Mutares has taken over numerous other companies in difficulty in France.
Toyota promises batteries that will make Tesla green with envy - 05/07/2023
- Toyota is the world's leading automaker, with 10.6 million vehicles sold last year.
- Toyota plans to sell 1.5 million electric cars in 2026, 60 times more than last year.
- The group plans to market models with solid batteries in 2027-2028.
- from 2025-2026, Toyota promises models with a range of 1,000 kilometers on lithium-ion batteries, requiring just 20 minutes to increase the charge from 10% to 80%.
- Between 2026 and 2027, Toyota plans to rely on 'low-cost' bipolar liquid batteries providing 1,100 kilometers of range and recharging to 80% in thirty minutes.
- Toyota will start equipping its cars with solid batteries from 2027
Arcade Cycles: championing the reindustrialization of bicycles in France - 30/06/2023
- Arcade Cycles is building a production unit 2.5 times larger, i.e. 15,000 m2 compared with 6,000 m2 previously.
- The company had 122 employees and sales of close to 40 million euros in 2022.
- Future production capacity will be 180,000 bikes a year, compared with 60,000 previously.
- Electric bike production is set to double by 2030.
- The majority of components needed to manufacture the bikes currently come from Asian suppliers (80%).
Companies quoted in this study
This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :
Choosing this study means :
Access to more than 35 hours of work
Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.
Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced
Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.
Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.
Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data
Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).
To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)
Guaranteed support after your purchase
A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676
A digital format designed for our users
Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.
Our offers :
the cargo bike market | France
- What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
- What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
- What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
- Data from several dozen databases
Pack 5 études (-15%) France
- 5 études au prix de 75,6€HT par étude à choisir parmi nos 800 titres sur le catalogue France pendant 12 mois
- Conservez -15% sur les études supplémentaires achetées
- Choisissez le remboursement des crédits non consommés au terme des 12 mois (durée du pack)
Consultez les conditions du pack et de remboursement des crédits non consommés.
Our customer references
They have consulted our studies
Discover the opinions (+500)
Malcolm Vincent
Astoria Finance
Gregoire de Castelnau
Stags Participations
Timothé Huignard
PWC
Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff
BCG
Aymeric Granet
Publicis Consultant
interviews & case studies
All interviews and case studies (45)
