E-bikes break the million

E-bikes break the million

In 2022, the Ministry of Transport recorded a slight decrease from 572 to 566 cars per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the previous year. During the same period, the number of e-bikes rose to a total of over one million; in 2022 the estimated density was 122 e-bikes per 1,000 inhabitants. Sports and bicycle retailers recorded a total of 1.39 billion euros in sales in 2022, an increase of 36 percent compared to the previous year. Electric bicycles accounted for three quarters of sales. A total of 246,728 e-bikes were sold, 11 percent more than in the previous year. On average, buyers spent 4,203 euros on an e-bike, which is 23.3 percent more than in 2021. An average of 1,790 euros was paid for a conventional bike (39 percent more than in the previous year). The current inventory of e-bikes in Austria is estimated at 1.1 million.

While electric cars are still unaffordable for most private buyers, interest in individual two-wheeled electric mobility is increasing. Thanks to tax incentives, more money can be invested in a high-quality e-bike. In 2022, every second bicycle sold was equipped with an electric auxiliary motor. E-transport bikes and e-folding bikes, which are increasingly shaping the cityscape, are becoming increasingly popular. While cargo bikes can be used to transport heavy objects in a climate-neutral manner, folding bikes score points in combination with local public transport. Many models can be taken as hand luggage on most trains and buses at no extra charge. The “last mile” to or from work can be covered quickly and easily. Although only 3,917 folding bikes were sold in 2022, this represents an increase of 63 percent compared to the previous year. Since this year, there has also been funding for folding bikes with or without electric drive for the first time, which suggests a further increase in sales figures.