At two million units, the German e-bike market held steady in 2025, after the volatile market during pandemic years. The sales volume has been around this level since 2023. The same goes for mechanical bicycles, whose sales volume has remained steady over the past three years at just under two million units. To grow the market, the industry should therefore focus on increasing the average retail price, but that continued to decline in 2025. No wonder the industry organisations emphasised the growing popularity of bike leasing and refurbishing at their joint presentation of the 2025 market results.

Fatbikes have been flagged by the Union des Entreprises Sport and Cycle (UESC) as the overwhelming source of non-compliant e-bikes on France's streets, accounting for 94%. The union published a report last month raising the alarm on the increasing number of vehicles marketed in France as e-bikes that do not comply with current regulations.

As e-bikes evolve from largely mechanical products into complex electronic systems, after-sales service is no longer an added benefit. The ability to diagnose, maintain and update systems throughout their lifecycle has become a baseline requirement, increasingly influencing how brands and dealers evaluate long-term product viability.

Selecting a drive system is no longer just a technical choice; it dictates development timelines and long-term portfolio strategy while supporting on-demand flexibility. For Bicycle brands in a competitive market, strategic system architecture is now a structural business consideration. This shift is driving interest in scalable platform solutions that streamline engineering resources while maintaining clear segment differentiation.

A recent consumer survey across Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands shows distinct differences in purchasing behaviour and e-bike-buying priorities.

Mahle SmartBike Systems has built its reputation on lightweight, highly integrated e-bike systems. What began with refined rear hub drives for road, gravel and urban bikes has expanded into a full power mid drive platform with the launch of the M40. This is a logical step within the brand's 'Light. Sport. Smart.' philosophy, bringing the same focus on integration, weight discipline and intelligent control into a higher torque category.