The international bicycle industry, once heralded as a long-term growth story thanks to the e-bike boom, now finds itself grappling with uncertainty. Tariffs, shifting trade flows, regulatory ambiguity and fragile consumer demand are reshaping strategies across the value chain. Four leading manufacturers — Bosch eBike Systems, Schwalbe, Bafang and Velo —paint a picture of an industry both challenged and transformed, where resilience increasingly depends on innovation and adaptability.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Chinese e-bikes have once again been implemented in a customs fraud case involving the evasion of duties when importing products into the EU market. Under the code-name Calypso, a complex scheme was exposed which led to raids across several EU member states. The total damage of the activities under investigation is estimated at approximately €700 million, although it is unclear how much of this is directly attributed to e-bike fraud.

For many consumers, the e-bike isn't just a trend; it's a revolution in how they move. E-bikes are transforming people's lives, whether they're helping people to conquer city commutes, enjoy weekend adventures, or simply breeze through daily errands. But the landscape for e-bike batteries is about to change significantly, thanks to the new Battery Regulation 2023/1542 of the European Union.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Several European countries have been implicated in a new investigation of customs fraud in connection with disassembled Chinese-made e-bikes. Led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Portugal, 16 searches were conducted yesterday in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal, in order to collect evidence in an investigation codenamed 'Pedelecs'.

BERLIN, Germany - Several EU ministries already announced before the 2024 European elections, that regulations on vehicles would be revised, which also lead to changes in the existing e-bike regulations. It instantly raised concerns within the industry whether e-bikes will continue to be classified as bicycles. If not, the industry fears type approval and other restrictive regulations to be implemented for what is currently considered e-bikes.

TALLINN, Estonia - Estonian e-bike manufacturer Ampler has unveiled its newest bike models with a cutting-edge new feature: direct USB-C charging. The Nova and the Nova Pro e-bikes were created "with urban families and modern commuters in mind," and tout a fully embedded USB-C battery in the bike frame.