Electric Bicycles in 2024: Speed Increasing, Regulations Tightening

Would you like to know about the development direction of the electric bicycle industry in 2024? Today, this article will explore what new highlights the future of electric bikes will bring.

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Cargo e-bikes will have a place

Today, electric bicycles have become the fastest-growing segment in the entire bicycle industry. But what is the fastest-growing submarket within it? According to some media market observations, cargo electric-assist bicycles may be the most popular choice for consumers in 2024.

There are many cargo e-bike products on the market today. Traditional international brands such as Trek, Specialized and Cannondale have successively released their own electric cargo bicycles. Some affordable brands, such as Flyer and Rad Power Bikes, have also launched more affordable electric cargo bicycle products.

Some media predict that people will see more cargo electric bicycles on the road this year, especially some affordable products. The users of these bicycles are not necessarily professional cyclists, but are more likely to be favored by people who have not been exposed to cycling.

In addition, some logistics brands may also equip delivery drivers with this tool. If you see cargo electric-assist bicycles from FedEx, UPS, or Amazon delivery services on the road, don't be surprised. These bikes are more agile and compact than traditional delivery vehicles, occupying much less space on the road.

Lightweight will become a trend

One of the important advantages of electric bicycles is that they require less effort than traditional bicycles. However, the size and weight of most electric bicycles are too large, which limits the possibility of purchasing them for some people whose homes are relatively small or whose floors do not have elevators. Therefore, foreign media also predict that there will be more lightweight electric bicycles for people to choose from in 2024.

What would these lightweight e-bikes look like? Many brands, such as Santa Cruz, Specialized and Orbea, have launched lightweight e-bikes with small batteries integrated into the down tube and lightweight mid-mounted or hub motors that can even weigh as much as Close to a traditional bicycle.

For consumers who don’t have an elevator at home, being able to carry an electric bicycle upstairs without much effort is a huge selling point. In addition, when an electric bicycle is light enough, it can be easily lifted onto high-speed trains and buses. Having a powerful motor is certainly a good thing, but perhaps more people would be more than happy to trade power for lighter weight.

Electric bicycles will be accepted by more groups

In the future, electric bicycles will not only be suitable for cyclists, but also for ordinary people who want to commute. For a long time in the past, the design of electric bicycles was based on traditional bicycles. Last year, when foreign media communicated with some electric bicycle designers, they also found that they seemed to be tired of the “conventional rules” of traditional bicycle design and wanted to seek new breakthroughs in styling.

Designer representatives from brands such as Ristretto and Super73 believe that more and more ordinary people are looking for “new toys.” Super73 is a manufacturer of electric bicycles, and their products are usually sold to those who are new to cycling.

Super73 claims that the selling points of their products are portability and cool styling, rather than traditional bicycle styling. According to a representative of the brand, they don’t want customers to just take short rides, but rather ride their products to longer destinations.

Super73 claims that the selling points of their products are portability and cool styling, rather than traditional bicycle styling. According to a representative of the brand, they don’t want customers to just take short rides, but rather ride their products to longer destinations.

And for those looking for an alternative to cars, e-bikes are sure to appeal. Nowadays, urban traffic congestion occurs from time to time, and more and more people just want an electric bicycle for transportation.

Electric bikes are getting faster

Today, almost every e-bike manufacturer on the market makes some high-performance version of an e-bike. The pursuit of speed seems to be the consensus in today's market.

A manufacturer of home appliance-assisted bicycles once boasted to foreign media that the speed of its products can reach up to 80 kilometers per hour. Just press a button, and you can cruise on the bicycle path at a speed of 32 kilometers per hour. Some brands also revealed that through simple unlocking software, their electric bicycles can also break through the speed limit.

As electric bicycles continue to pursue speed, the boundaries between them and lightweight motorcycles are becoming increasingly blurred, the danger factor of electric bicycles is also increasing, and the speed limit is still being pushed forward.

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Local laws will be tightened

Bicycle retailers report that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission will consider regulating e-bikes to some extent. While few could predict what these regulations might look like, they would also mean manufacturers would need to have a certain level of certification of motors and battery systems.

New York City in the United States is one of the first cities to enact laws related to electric-assist bicycles. These regulations mandate that new electric bicycles sold in the city must obtain certification to the UL 2849 standard, which tests the batteries, chargers, and motors of electric-assist bicycles. This greatly reduces the likelihood of unregulated electric-assist bicycle batteries causing fires.

Huntington Beach, California, recently passed an ordinance that allows police to stop any cyclist in an “unsafe manner.”

However, it's important to note that while advancing any type of regulation may pose a challenge, “retracting” these regulations may be even harder. Electric-assist bicycles are still a new phenomenon, and the future development trends will also be diversified. Whether these regulations on electric-assist bicycles will ultimately hinder regular riders remains to be seen. The future is yet to be observed.