The electric bicycle market - Italy (2023)

1.1 Definition and presentation

According to the Highway Code, electric bicycle or pedal-assisted bicycle is defined as"Velocipede equipped with an auxiliary electric motor with a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kilowatts whose power supply is gradually reduced and finally cut off when the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 km/h, or sooner if the cyclist stops pedaling." it is necessary to distinguish between pedal-assisted bicycles and electric bicycles, for which the cyclist does not have to pedal to move them forward and they look more like real mopeds.

The global pedal-assist bicycle market has grown in recent years, and is expected to continue to grow at a rate of 10.78 % through 2025. The main factors driving market growth are government support for pedal-assisted bicycles, a growing desire among users to use environmentally friendly and reliable alternatives, and rising fuel costs.

Europe has the largest share of the pedal-assist bicycle market, dominated by Germany, followed by France and Italy. Pedal-assisted bicycles are the preferred mode of mobility in Germany. North America is expected to be the region will see the fastest growth.

In Italy, the broader bicycle market grew by 7.5 % in 2021, driven mainly by the electric and pedal-assist bicycle segment. In fact, the latter has come to account for 11 % of total bicycle production. In recent years, the pedal-assist bicycle market has attracted many companies. Some operators have decided to specialize, such as Italwin, while others are diversifying their offerings.

Thanks to numerous incentives from the Italian government, the number of pedal-assist bicycle sales is expected to continue to rise in the coming years, cannibalizing part of the traditional bicycle segment.