The maturity stage of electric bicycles in the United States

The flagship model of ECOE was hailed as “the epitome of the electric bicycle industrial revolution” at the 2023 CES. Its dual-motor system can output 200N・m peak torque.

With a 60V 32AH battery pack, it achieved a range of 150km (pure electric mode) in actual testing in Midtown Manhattan, and a 40-degree steep slope pass rate of 97%. The dual suspension system adopts a lightweight design of magnesium alloy.

When riding on the cobblestone road of the Brooklyn Bridge, the bump filtering effect is 60% higher than that of traditional mountain bikes. The hydraulic brake system is certified by SGS, and the emergency braking distance at 100km/h is only 3.2 meters, far exceeding the US CPSC safety standard. Although the car weighs 65kg, the integrated design of the carbon fiber frame and the hub motor makes the control extremely flexible. It has completed a 720° drift test on Lombard Street in San Francisco, perfectly interpreting the “balance between speed and elegance”.

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Key historical events in the United States during the maturity of electric bicycles (2020 to present)

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2020: The epidemic gave birth to the “bicycle renaissance”
After the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the use of public transportation in the United States plummeted by 70%, and the closure of gyms forced people to turn to outdoor exercise. According to statistics from the NPD Group, in 2020, the sales of electric bicycles in the United States surged by 190% year-on-year to 810,000 units, a record high. Among them, entry-level models (US$1,000-1,500) accounted for 68%, and the main consumers were urban middle-class people aged 35-45. During the epidemic, New York City converted 250 kilometers of car lanes into bicycle lanes, and Lyft and Citibank jointly launched a free riding plan covering 12,000 key industry workers. This phenomenon was called “the most dramatic transportation revolution in 50 years” by Time magazine.

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2021: Biden administration’s “green travel” policy

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Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, allocating $4.1 billion for electric bicycle subsidies, including a tax credit of up to $1,500 for car purchases and a charging station construction fund. In the same year, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued the National Bicycle Strategy, requiring states to spend 1.5% of the federal transportation budget on bicycle lane construction. Under the policy stimulus, sales of local brands such as Aventon and Super73 soared by 300%. Gaorong Capital and Sequoia Capital jointly invested in Aventon, with a valuation of over $1 billion.

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2022: Lithium battery technology breakthroughs and cost reductions

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Maxwell Technologies, a supply chain company for Tesla, has developed a solid electrolyte lithium battery that increases the range of electric bicycles to 200km and reduces the cost to $800 per set (a 40% decrease from 2020). Companies such as Yamaha and Bosch have launched intelligent power assist systems that use AI algorithms to adjust motor output in real time to simulate the pedaling rhythm of professional riders. In the same year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) raised the maximum speed limit of electric bicycles from 25km/h to 32km/h, further releasing performance requirements.

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2023: Supply chain reconstruction and Sino-US trade game

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Affected by the Sino-US trade war, the United States imposed a 25% tariff on imported electric bicycles from China, resulting in a 20% increase in vehicle prices. To avoid tariffs, brands such as Aventon and Rad Power Bikes moved their production lines to Mexico, and the localization rate of parts increased to 60%. Chinese companies maintained their market share through technology licensing cooperation (such as Niu Electric and Giant jointly building factories in the United States). According to a McKinsey report, in 2023, the domestic electric bicycle production capacity in the United States has recovered to 80% of the pre-epidemic level.

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2024: Cross-border penetration of cultural symbols

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Electric bicycles have evolved from functional tools to cultural symbols: NBA star LeBron James invested in the electric bicycle brand Ride1Up and integrated it into street fashion culture; Coachella Music Festival set up a “zero-emission riding area” to provide shared electric bicycle rental services. In the same year, the sequel to the Hollywood movie “Blade Runner 2049” used electric bicycles as a future means of transportation, driving its awareness among Generation Z by 40%.

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Dual maturity of technology and market

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The core sign of maturity is the popularization of technology: in 2024, mainstream models in the US market are generally equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers, smart central control screens and LTE networking functions, and the price drops to less than US$2,000. Consumer surveys show that 73% of users believe that electric bicycles are “more suitable for urban life than cars”, and the battery life anxiety index has dropped from 85 in 2020 to 32.

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Challenges and future

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Despite the booming market, the US electric bicycle industry still faces problems such as insufficient charging facilities (only 28% of cities are equipped with dedicated charging piles) and incomplete insurance coverage. However, with the advancement of the Electric Bicycle Safety Act and the pilot of V2G (vehicle to grid) technology, the industry is shifting from “hardware competition” to “ecological construction”, paving the way for the annual sales target of 5 million vehicles in 2030.
These events collectively mark the growth of electric bicycles in the United States from a fringe category to a mainstream mode of transportation. Its experience in technological iteration and policy negotiation is profoundly influencing the future direction of the global electric transportation industry.