Market Trends of Europe Bike Sharing Industry
Commuting Holds the Highest Share
Public bike sharing is making a transition in urban mobility in Europe. The concept of using bicycles/e-cycles as shared assets of transportation, irrespective of ownership, plays an important role in ensuring safe, resilient, sustainable, and futuristic urban development and sustainable development goals in Europe.
The ever-expanding on-demand commutation market also contributed to the popularity of e-scooters. E-scooters are modernized versions of classic scooters that have been converted into electric congestion.
Governments are providing incentives, such as subsidies and tax exemption, to promote electric vehicle purchases. Thus, the demand for electric bike sharing is seen on the graph's positive side, seeing the government incentives.
The bicycle industry is providing the mass transport mode of the future and focusing on investment in the expansion of cycling infrastructure vehicles by E-scooter manufacturers. These are also considered a superior option as they run on electricity and can travel long distances without harming the environment.
The rise in vehicle emissions led to the implementation of stringent laws and regulations by the governments of Europe. Electric bikes used for commuting are another major step toward reducing emissions in many developing economies as they can be used for various purposes, such as office commuting and last mile delivery options, and are accessible, safer, faster, and more efficient first and last-mile connectivity options, making urban commutes safe and convenient. They also help fight traffic.
For example, in May 2023 UK government invested EUR 32.9 million in improving cycle network and promoting cycle training and bike rental schemes for sharing, thereby catering to the segment’s growth.
Germany Holds the Highest Share
Germany led the European market as commuters have been opting more for bike sharing for various purposes like commuting, traveling, and others. Germany was followed by the Netherlands and France.
The local government is also promoting the concept of bike sharing in Germany due to growing concerns for sustainability and reducing traffic congestion.
Germany's bike-sharing availability is getting better as rent-a-bike stations are located at the main railway stations, which are known as Fahrradmietstationen. Users can book bikes through online channels and other methods of payment for ongoing rental transactions.
In May 2023, the solar PV bike path was installed by green energy company Badenova in Germany and made operational for bikes.
Considering the development in electric mobility in Germany, bike-sharing incentives, growing adoption of electric bikes, and improvement of smaller and more energy-dense batteries, the demand for bike-sharing services is expected to witness an increased sales bar in Germany during the forecast period. Moreover, companies are working toward launching new products and services in the bike sharing market.
The major market players in Germany include the Deutsche Bahn AG with its subsidiary, DB Rent GmbH, and nextbike GmbH, which offers bike sharing services at locations like Aachen, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Karlruhe, Köln, and other places, with minimum charges starting from EUR 1.00, thereby contributing to market growth.
