Electric Bicycle Sales Will Outpace Electric Vehicle Sales Until 2023, Report Predicts

Andrew J. Hawkins shares news of a new report from Deloitte that predicts big things for the electric bicycle (e-bike) market over the next few years.

Deloitte, which released its annual technology, media, and telecommunications predictions [pdf] last week, says it expects 130 million e-bikes to be sold globally between 2020 and 2023. It also noted that “the number of e-bikes on the roads will easily outpace other e-vehicles by the end of next year.”

Hawkins admits incredulity with the idea that e-bikes might sell in larger quantities than other forms of electric vehicles, namely electric cars. But the report makes a solid case for a forthcoming, dramatic shift in how people get around, according to Hawkins.

Indeed, Deloitte predicts a 1 percentage point rise in the proportion of people who bike to work from 2019 to 2022. That may not seem like much on the surface, but given the low bases, the difference will be impressive. Tens of billions of additional bicycle rides per year means fewer car trips and lower emissions, with spillover benefits for traffic congestion and urban air quality.

Deloitte isn't alone its e-bike optimism, according to Hawkins. Other reports, as well as experts cited in the article, agree.