More and more people are buying electric bicycles
The Netherlands has 22.8 million bicycles, according to the latest estimates from BOVAG and RAI. 1.8 million of these bicycles are electrically assisted.
Sales figures for e-bikes are increasing. In 2022, a total of 855,000 new bicycles were purchased, of which 486,000 were electric. In 2017 there were still 296,000. City bicycles are actually purchased less often. In 2017 there were almost 400,000 copies, in 2022 that was about half.
René Roskam of the Rijwielpaleis in Bilthoven sees the trend in practice. “I sell about 60 percent electric bicycles and 40 percent regular bicycles. Both students and people over 65 buy such an e-bike.”
In the Utrecht bicycle shop Ton van den IJssel Tweewielers this is about 50/50. “It is very regionally specific,” says Van den IJssel. “We are in the center and there are many people who live within a radius of 5 kilometers from their work. The regular bicycle is still very popular among them.”
And colleague Van den IJsel in Nieuwegein already sells 75 percent electrically, he knows. “You increasingly see that people want luxury and therefore choose the electric bicycle.”