Major Car Companies Are Joing The Electric Bike Trend

Electric bikes are growing more popular by the year, with many bike manufacturers trying their hand and offering eBike models along with their traditional non-motorized frames. However, it isn’t just standard bicycle companies releasing eBike models, but many major car and motorcycle manufacturers are releasing their models.

GM, Mercedes Benz, Ford, Harley Davidson, and several other companies have either announced or already released a premium eBike model.

While these major motor companies’ results have been mixed, ranging from okay to great, we anticipate that we’re going to see motor companies release even more eBike models going forward. In this post, we explain why the eBike market is attractive to motor companies, discuss the performance of their releases so far, and share a few ways we hope motor companies will improve the eBike industry going forward.

Why are Motor Companies Developing Electric Bikes?

There are several reasons why motor companies are interested in developing eBikes, and their reasons vary company from company. However, based upon our research and the announcements made by several motor companies, many reasons are shared across the industry. Some of the most popular reasons for motor companies to get into eBike development are as follows:

• It is easy to adapt their pre-existing technology to eBikes. While they are considered two different classes of vehicles, the design principles and many of the components in motor vehicles and eBikes are the same. Many motor vehicle manufacturers don’t have to make significant changes to convert their part manufacturing lines to develop eBike models. As a result, motor companies will have a far easier time beginning development on a new eBike model than companies starting from scratch.
• Ebikes are an emerging market with no clear market leader. Corporations are very interested in getting a foothold in new and emerging markets. Especially those with no clear market leader and markets they can quickly begin developing products for. As long as the electric bike industry growth continues, with no clear market leader dominating market share, you’ll find more major motor vehicle manufacturers vying for control with their eBike model.
• Increased Focus on Green Environmental Practices. Due to a mixture of government regulation and customer outcry for greener practices, motor companies are trying to find ways to promote environmental friendliness. Electric bikes may have a motor system, but by relying on electric batteries as a power source, emissions resulting from production and daily use are a fraction compared to other motor vehicles—including electric cars. The stronger the focus governments and customers have on environmentally-friendly vehicles, the more inclined corporations will be to produce green electric bikes.
• Increased Centralized Urban Living. Recent population trends show an increased focus on citizens worldwide relocating from rural areas to urban environments. The more centralized cities gain in population, the more difficult it will be to own and drive a car. Most cities fail to adjust their road systems to accommodate their growth in residents. As a result, motor vehicle manufacturers recognize that eBike demand will grow explodes in urban areas. They hope to become a prominent household name for eBikes just as they exist as go-to options for car customers.
• Public Transportation Opportunities. Many cities and countries worldwide are now introducing grants and government sponsorship for companies that are willing to provide rentable eBikes as a form of public transportation. These programs often have significant economic benefits outside of positive publicity, ranging from substantial tax reductions to massive budgets above what is needed to install these eBikes. As a result, many major motor vehicle manufacturers are developing eBike lineups with the hope of becoming the official public eBike transportation option for communities globally.
• Complimentary Smart Services. Motor vehicle manufacturers recognize that eBikes don’t always have to replace a motor vehicle but can complement them. As many motor vehicles implement new smart technologies and subscription services into their cars, motor vehicle manufacturers and corporations are enticing customers with compatible smart eBikes as well. Many major manufacturers hope that most of your electronic devices will all come from them, from your eBike to your car to your in-home appliances and other systems.

How do Motor Company eBikes Perform so Far?

We’ve done very few reviews on eBikes developed by motor companies. The biggest reason why is, for the most part, their bikes don’t offer premium performance yet.

Motor vehicle companies excel in installing fantastic motors onto eBikes that will help you accelerate quickly. Many motor vehicle companies produce premium class 3 eBikes. However, where their motor systems are great, motor vehicle eBikes tend to suffer in other areas where motor vehicle manufacturers’ inexperience becomes apparent.

For many of the motor vehicle manufactured eBikes, we’ve tested or checked out, one of their most significant failings is their range. While they include powerful motors, they drain the included batteries quickly, so you often wind up with an eBike that can only travel 30 to 40 miles on a single charge.

These eBike models have been test products for corporations wading into the eBike market, often resulting in a one-size-fits-all model that isn’t comfortable for tall or short cyclists. While these bikes usually include premium accessories like torque sensors and large hydraulic brake setups, brand recognition often drives up the price too.

Not every eBike made by a motor manufacturer has these problems, and there are some admirable exceptions. But by and large, these are currently the issues holding back many of the motor company manufactured eBikes that we’ve reviewed.

Fortunately, we don’t think that these problems will persist, and we’re excited to share why motor vehicle involvement in the eBike industry will likely be a good thing.

How do we think that Motor Companies will Change the eBike Industry?

While we don’t anticipate that the general design of eBikes will change going forward, the individual components that make up eBikes are seeing significant improvements year after year.

As more motor vehicle manufacturers participate in electric bike development, we anticipate major innovations in eBike technology. While motor systems are an area where we expect major improvements, recent reports have indicated that electric car manufacturers like Tesla are also interested in creating a line of eBikes as well. With the increased focus of electric car manufacturers participating in eBike development, the battery systems, charging systems, and the overall range of eBikes should improve.

Furthermore, the increased competition encourages existing eBike manufacturers to try even harder to improve and differentiate their products. While there are a large variety of eBike manufacturers on the market, the choices available to customers are much smaller than the options when purchasing a car motorcycle. The more competition there is, the less likely it is that a single eBike manufacturer will wind up with a monopoly on the marketplace, which is even better for eBike customers.

Lastly, major motor vehicle manufacturers and corporations’ involvement will also bring an added legitimacy and increased popularity to using eBikes. The more mainstream eBikes become, the less restrictive and overbearing government oversight should become. While eBikes currently have a 20 MPH to 28 MPH speed limit for them to be sold at retailers and operated without additional licensing, large corporations’ involvement may cause regulations to see overhauls.

Conclusion: We Look Forward to Changes in the eBike Industry:

One of the primary reasons we enjoy talking about eBikes is because of the pace this industry is growing and changing, even daily. We often make projections about how eBikes will develop and are surprised by the latest releases and announcements, showing off technology and performance far and above what we expected.

The participation of major car and motorcycle manufacturers in the eBike industry will further heat the competition, resulting in faster and even more diverse developments. While we might not be impressed too much by what motor vehicle manufacturers have released so far, we’re optimistic and look forward to what they might end up releasing on the horizon!