Updated on June 1, 2022
Electric bikes are “the largest and most rapid uptake of alternative fuel vehicles in the history of motorization,” according to academic magazine Taylor & Francis. Since China is anticipated to sell 34 million electric bikes this year, it is one of the world’s most important markets.
where are electric bikes made
There are e-bike motors built in China, battery cells made in Korea, Japan, and China, and brakes are made in Taiwan, among other countries.
What Countries Make Electric Bikes?
It’s not uncommon for electric bike manufacturers to outsource their manufacturing operations. For the most part, they either design their own bikes to be made elsewhere or import and re-brand e-bikes from other manufacturers. Many bike firms use parts supplied from a worldwide supply chain and maintain tight quality control when designing and building a bike. In addition, there are numerous bicycle brands that just buy wholesale from a manufacturer without requiring tight quality control or variation from the basic design specifications.
In Asia, practically all e-bike frames are made in Taiwan or China, with a few outliers. Are these two markets similar or different? In reality, Taiwan is the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer and produces for some of the most well-known brands, such as Trek, Specialized, QBP, and Tern, all of which have a variety of models and frames that are known for their high quality. Big customers and generic brands find China’s mass production of low-cost motorcycles attractive.
Bicycle enthusiasts are aware of the differences in labour and production standards between China and Taiwan. Lower-quality frames made in Chinese factories come apart more easily, may not ride as straight or accurate, and may not adhere to the same standards of quality control and production waste management as their American counterparts. Buying an electric bike to replace your car as an environmentally beneficial option would be ironic if you bought one that polluted the environment near its manufacturing facility.
E-Bikes made in Europe and the United States
US and European-made models are more pricey. However, as previously noted, several bike manufacturers do not produce e-bikes. Riese and Muller is a well-known German-made bicycle manufacturer that began manufacturing in Taiwan but now produces its own frames. Most likely, Raleigh’s frames are made in Taiwan, which is a country in the European Union. Around 500,000 e-bikes are produced annually by Kalkhoff, a German company that designs and manufactures all of its products in-country to the highest standards of quality and safety. In addition to making their own frames, Brompton is a British firm.
There has been a recent boom in the production of bikes in the United States. Many new assembly plants are springing up across the country. It is expected that the U.S. will experience an increase in advanced electronic manufacturing thanks to Tesla’s Gigafactory. Speculators predict that as local battery production rises, battery prices will fall, resulting in an increase in the number of e-bike manufacturers in the United States.
If you buy an e-bike for sale in the US or Europe or Australia, it must meet product safety standards. Some standards, such as EN 15194, apply to the full assembly of electric bikes, while others, such as RoHS and the Low Voltage Directive, only apply to the batteries and other components of electric bikes.
Not just the frame is checked for safety and compliance by renowned brands in the mid to high end market. The gears, batteries, engine, petals, handlebar, brakes, charger, and tyres, for example, are normally purchased from outside sources, so putting together a high-quality bike means either ensuring that each component works and has been tested, or piecing together diverse parts at a reasonable price.
Electric Bikes Made in Tawain
Taiwan’s e-bike exports are catching up swiftly, especially in the middle and upper echelons of the market, while China’s e-bike exports remain in the low to mid range.
Giant, with nine plants throughout the world, is a major e-bike exporter to the United States and the United Kingdom. Giant, a Taiwanese business founded in 1972, manufactures its own bicycles, including the industry’s only carbon fibre models.
Carbon frame bikes from Giant have a stellar reputation as the best in the business. Intriguingly, they purchase their carbon in the form of raw spools that resemble carbon thread, and then use their proprietary resin mix to produce wide carbon sheets. It’s also worth noting that they own their own aluminium mines and furnaces. Research into each factory’s production method, working environment, and quality standards reveals a high level of precision and care. Additionally, Giant manufactures or has manufactured bicycles for a number of other brands, including as Trek, Specialized, Schwinn, and Bianchi.
In China, Bikes Are Made
Generic brands and lower-priced bicycles often have frames sourced from China. When you visit a reputed bike shop like Propel or New Wheel, you can be sure that the bikes for sale there are of great quality and aren’t made in China.
The cost of an electric bike is determined only by its components, such as the type of battery and the engine. There is no way to compare the prices of e-bikes by comparing their components alone. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to see e-bikes manufactured in China that don’t meet international standards. In practise, this means that unless otherwise requested by the buyer, most manufacturers will employ any and all components that are accessible.
The tariffs imposed on Chinese-made e-bikes are an interesting turn of events. Unlike the European Union, the United States is considering a 25% tariff. Chinese e-bikes were popular because of their low prices and large production volumes, but Taiwanese producers now have a great opportunity to take over the industry.
