The German national bicycle industry association, Zweirad-Industrie-Verband eV (ZIV), has released German bike and e-bike market information for the first half of 2018. ZIV noted that only the cool March clouded the otherwise excellent weather conditions for cycling and thus also the economic development of the bicycle, e-bike, components and accessories market.

The production of bicycles and e-bikes in the first half of 2018 (January - June) was slightly up on the previous year at an estimated 1.33 million (+ 1.9%) units produced. Sales of bicycles and e-bikes also have increased by 6%. This corresponds to 2.8 million complete bicycles sold through various distribution channels between January and June. It is also expected that sales of bicycles, e-bikes, components and accessories will exceed those of the same period in 2017.

According to the German Federal Statistical Office, imports of bicycles and e-bikes to Germany increased by more than 10% to around 2.17 million. The share of e-bikes for imports in the period January - June was approx. 25%. Exports of bicycles and e-bikes also increased in the first half of 2018 by 11% to 0.73 million. The share of e-bikes in exports in the period January - June was about 34%.

As predicted by ZIV in the run-up to Eurobike 2018, e-bike sales are continuing to outperform this year. ZIV estimates that around 670,000 units were sold in the first half of 2018. ZIV expects around 850,000 e-bikes to be sold during the whole of 2018, this would correspond to an increase of around 18%.