The Rise of the Electric Motorcycle in Germany

Key Points

The German motorcycle market experienced moderate positive growth in 2023. In June, sales increased by 16.1% with a year-to-date figure of 138,704 (+2.7%). Honda saw significant growth with a 39% increase in sales, positioning itself as the leading brand.

Due to previous years 55 growth the industry started the year with positive expectations, marking the second-best sales peak in the last 15 years. Short supply issues had affected delivery to clients in the preceding 15 months, but the arrival of new products from Asia led to a volume boom in January (+26.4%).

Sales depleted

However, the fast start depleted the orders portfolio, and sales stabilized in the following months. The motorcycles segment grew by 13.2%, while the scooter segment experienced a sharp decline of 21.1%. The decline in the scooter segment was primarily driven by lower demand in metropolitan areas, particularly in the 2-50cc and 51-125cc classes.

The electric L1 segment also saw a significant decline of 56.3% due to the lack of available products. Although many manufacturers announced the launch of new electric models, these models were not yet available in the market, leading to customer anticipation.

Regarding manufacturer performance

• Honda took the leadership position with a 39.7% increase in sales.
• BMW followed in second place, while
• Piaggio experienced a 5.5% decline and faced competition from BMW, which had a 3.0% sales increase.
• Yamaha ranked fourth with a 3.6% decrease, and
• Kawasaki saw a 7.4% increase. Other notable performances include KTM (+27.0%), Suzuki (+61.2%), and Husqvarna (+14.3%).

Decline 8 %

In 2022, the German motorcycle market was expected to recover after an 8% decline in the previous year. However, short supply issues affected many brands, and customers were eagerly anticipating changing their bikes this year. Factors such as the demand for individual mobility, economic expansion, incentives for electric vehicles, and growing EV demand were expected to outweigh the negative impacts of inflation and production difficulties.

Despite a strong start to the year, the market faced challenges related to short supply, which had a more significant impact than other economic factors. Nonetheless, the market ended the year positively, with sales reaching 227,856, a 4.5% increase compared to the previous year, marking the second-best level in the last 15 years.

Market Leader

Piaggio, the market leader, gained ground with 34,350 sales (+13.9%) thanks to the success of its new electric lineup. Honda ranked second with 25,380 sales (-5.1%), experiencing deep losses in Q3 due to product shortages. BMW followed in third place with 24,564 sales (-10.5%), facing challenges in minimizing component supply shortages. Yamaha (+1.0%), Kawasaki (-12.3%), KTM (-30.8%), Aprilia (+29.5%), Harley-Davidson (-3.6%), and Peugeot (+10.7%) rounded out the top brands.

The electric segment played a significant role in fueling the scooter market, with year-to-date sales growing by 72.8% in the L1 category (below 50cc ICE) and 438% in the L3 category. The Chinese brand Niu led the electric scooter market, although it faced short supply issues, followed by Piaggio and BMW.

Conclusion

The German motorcycle market is expected to remain positive in 2023, but short supply and the growth of the electric segment are likely to be challenged. Honda is the top-selling brand, and the motorcycle segment is growing, while the scooter segment is declining. The electric segment is fueling the scooter market, with sales up 72.8% in the L1 category and 438% in the L3 category. Niu is the market leader in the electric segment, followed by Piaggio and BMW.

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