In the first week of July, EUROBIKE invited visitors to the world's largest platform for the bicycle and ecomobility world at Messe Frankfurt for the third time. 35,080 trade visitors (2023: 34,750) and an additional 33,090 bicycle fans (2023: 31,840) at the weekend were enthusiastic about the variety of new products with many testing opportunities at the 32nd edition of the leading trade fair. 1,800 exhibitors came from more than 60 countries and presented their innovations on eight hall levels and a huge outdoor area with an area of 150,000 square meters.
The new lightness of e-bikes
On the EUROBIKE it becomes clear: e-bikes are no longer a niche product. More than half of all bicycles sold in 2023 were pedelecs. The latest developments in the field of e-bike drives focus on weight reduction, improved battery technology and more precise control systems. The manufacturers have taken note of customer wishes and are now showing a new range of lightweight electric bikes under 20 kilograms: The ZEG brand Bulls is presenting an e-MTB weighing just 18 kilograms at EUROBIKE 2024: the Sonic Evo AM SX .
Focus on digitalization and connectivity
More and more manufacturers are developing the secondary level of Pedelec technology: on-board electrics and electronics are becoming more modern and functional thanks to comprehensive digitization. Software integrations, individual adaptation via app, driving data recording, tracking systems for theft protection or navigation and tour planning expand the digital usage options. By using artificial intelligence with the help of ChatGPT plus voice control, Urtopia wants to support its customers, for example by simplifying destination entry while driving. However, the system can currently only respond in English and both the content and technical quality can certainly be improved.
e-CargoBikes for business – opportunities and potential
Sales of e-CargoBikes have risen significantly in recent years, and the bikes are shaping the cityscape in more and more places. However, their potential is still far from being exhausted. Experts see strong growth potential, especially in commercial use; delivery services and craft businesses can benefit even more from the advantages of smart transport. In order to reduce CO2 emissions on the last mile in the next few years, at least 30 percent of commercial journeys in German cities should be made by cargo bike by 2030. This is the goal of the German Bicycle Logistics Association (RLVD). EUROBIKE is also showing Light Electric Vehicles (LEV) for the first time - which, with driver's cabins or as multi-track vehicles, extend beyond the usual dimensions of a cargo bike.
"We suspect that some companies do not want to switch to bicycles immediately. Perhaps the LEVs are the gap between vans and bicycles. With the test, we also want to find out whether LEVs meet the requirements in terms of weather protection and comfort," explained Dr. Johannes Gruber. He has been working at the Institute for Transport Research at the German Aerospace Center for over ten years. The DLR research project also shows surprising results: Parcel delivery services do not make up the largest share of commercial traffic by far - although one might subjectively think so. Unlike the fully loaded parcel delivery services, many municipal companies such as tradesmen and retailers often use their vehicles to transport small items.
At the Ecomobilitytalk, it was made clear which key factors influence the mobility change: employee motivation is the most important factor. That is why extensive test drives on site by employees are very important. Thomas Kuwatsch from ARI Motors has often seen faces of joyful surprise. People sit in them and try out the vehicles. And they often react with "Wow, that's fun and it's like driving a go-kart!" Charging is also no longer a problem, because charging can be done overnight in the companies when the employees are on their well-earned break.
LEVI parade shows diversity of light mobility
Another topic of the accompanying conference was the opportunity of so-called fine mobility, better known as micromobility of light vehicles. "Lighter gets further" - this is the motto of the LEVI Innovation Cluster . Unfortunately, the diverse possibilities of light mobility are still far too unknown. The innovative e-vehicles are not yet visible, the numbers are still too low. In order to increase the awareness of the LEV, LEVI organized a LEV parade through Frankfurt city center to the entrance area of the EUROBIKE trade fair at the beginning of the second day of the trade fair, in which many different vehicles took part, such as the Hopper, Velobike, Twikes, CityQ and also Fat Albert.
New products at EUROBIKE 2024
Light, smart and flexible: the new ebii from Acer
The AI-controlled smart bike ebii from Acer is aimed at city dwellers who want to make their commute easier. Intelligent AI functions enable the ebii, which weighs just 23.5 kg, to adapt to the driver's style to enable an optimal and personalized ride! It offers numerous safety features (puncture-proof tires, automatic locking, collision detection or ambient lighting) and impresses with its puristic design, such as the single-arm fork. The quick-charge function enables a full charge in just 2.5 hours. That is then enough for up to 110 more kilometers. The new variant of the stylish e-bike is scheduled to come onto the market in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The STEEREON gets pedals
Plev Technologies from Cologne presents its newest family member: the STEEREON B25 , a foldable e-bike with automatic gearshift. It has all the tried and tested features such as hydraulic disc brakes, indicators and brake lights, high-quality components, app connection, a range of up to 100 km and the innovative folding mechanism so that it can be transported in almost any trunk. Additional advantages of the e-bike: it can be legally ridden on cycle paths, there is no helmet requirement and you have a good feeling that you are doing something for your health. Interested parties can now register on a waiting list and will then receive a €500 discount on the RRP of €3,299 when it launches on the market in spring 2025.
Hyboo sustainable bamboo e-bike from France
The HYBOO BIKE , designed by Carla Sarantellis in 2015, is environmentally friendly, unique and innovative. It is made of bio-based materials. The designer produces fully equipped e-bikes under 15 kg, with frames made of environmentally friendly bamboo. "I started caring for women in Vietnamese villages 20 years ago and my wish was to build a bridge to people with disabilities." The idea of the bamboo bike was inspired by this time. Following her humanitarian missions, Carla Sarantellis founded the company in Hauts-de-France in 2015 to create jobs for workers with disabilities. The innovative e-bikes are produced there, "Made in France". The electric pedelecs are available in comfortable city versions or sporty gravel bikes from €2,899.
Maria Bike: the zero-emission moped from Portugal
The MHS Group from Portugal has combined sustainability, design thinking and efficiency to develop the Maria Bike . The result is an exciting vehicle that sets standards in this new era of electromobility. Maria Bike not only offers a sustainable vehicle, but also promotes an environmentally conscious lifestyle. The climate-neutral e-moped is produced using recycled and recyclable materials. The e-moped can be reserved now for a deposit of €300.
Flexible CargoBike: Carrie
With the "Carrie", Riese & Müller offers a cargo bike that is extremely compact on the one hand and offers space for shopping and the transport of up to two children on the other. This is achieved by a special "Flex Box" that can be expanded as needed and thus offers a large storage space. When the box is folded in, the bike is narrow and can be parked to save space. RRP: from €5,799
CaGo wins the Eurobike Gold Award 2024
With the "CS" model , CaGo offers a manoeuvrable cargo bike that is ideal for tight urban spaces thanks to its compact dimensions (length: 2.04 meters, width: 48 centimeters) and many loading options. The so-called "triple load space concept" allows for a load that is optimized for the center of gravity on three surfaces: in the middle at the bottom, at the rear and on the front luggage rack. RRP: from €5,590
VELLO presents one of the lightest e-CargoBikes on the market
The VELLO SUB (Smart Utility Bike) is a lightweight electric cargo bike at 28.9 kg. Thanks to its short standard length of 180 cm, it can be easily transported on public transport and can be reduced to a width of 29 cm without tools using the foldable pedals and handlebars. The foldable elements even allow space-saving transport in the trunk. The VELLO SUB can be adapted without tools and equipped with accessories for any purpose, such as transporting children or shopping. The permissible total weight is a whopping 210 kg. Price from €5,698.
The FUELL Flluid-2 has a range of up to 350 km
FUELL (Freedom / Urban / Electric / Love / Life) is a French-American manufacturer and stands for urban mobility solutions that focus on the needs of users while embodying modern design. In addition to developing the stylish FUELL Fllow e-motorcycle, FUELL offers a wide range of powerful e-bikes. The FUELL Flluid was designed in three variants (1, 2 and 3) and promises to be the e-bike with the longest range in the world. The powerful e-bike has an incredible range of 350 km thanks to a 2,000 Wh battery. It has the latest VALEO Cyclee Mid Drive motor with integrated automatic transmission and predictive shifting. Prices from €5,995 (Flluid-3) or €6,495 ( Flluid-2 ). The S-Pedelec variant Flluid-3 is due to come onto the market soon.
LEMMO shows hybrid bike
The LEMMO ONE MK2 combines two bicycles in one. On the one hand, it is a puristically designed bio-bike with high quality standards and on the other hand, it can be transformed into a powerful e-bike with 540 Wh / 40 Nm peak capacity in a matter of seconds using the all-in-one Smartpac. The award-winning Reddot winner 2023 not only looks good. The removable Smartpac unit contains all the important electronic components of modern E-Plus technology, such as battery, motor control and IoT functions. "As a hybrid bike, the Lemmo One offers a high level of flexibility and cleverly combines this with a high level of user-friendliness" said the Reddot jury. Price from €2,289.
Egret presents further premium models of its e-scooter range
Egret recently launched its new Ey! models . The impressive EUROBIKE stand features another new product in two versions: the Egret GT . The e-scooter version is available with either a 15 Ah or 20 Ah removable battery. This flexibility allows you to adjust your range and performance as needed. The technical highlights are impressive: powerful rear motor with 59 Nm torque, RST oil pressure upside-down suspension fork for maximum driving comfort, 13" pneumatic tires with puncture protection, TFT display with NFC lock, hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, Osram LED lighting with automatic brightness adjustment, indicators front and rear, a payload of 150 kg possible and a new controller setting that enables a constant driving speed of the permitted 22 km/h. The high-performance e-scooter weighs 32 kg. In terms of price, the RRP surprised us: the 15 AH variant costs just €1,599, the more powerful 20 Ah battery costs another €300 more.
The Egret GTS model has an additional seat and therefore automatically belongs to the higher vehicle class L1e. However, the maximum speed of 45 km/h can then be used on the roads. The models will be available to order in the near future.
BO e-scooters from England
Bo (Bomobility) , an award-winning pioneer in the global mobility industry, is committed to developing the world's best light electric vehicles. Headquartered in Bristol, UK, Bo was founded in 2019 by a team of visionary designers and engineers with exceptional, multidisciplinary expertise and unique insights from Formula 1 to the luxury automotive industry. The result is a stylish e-scooter. After four years of development, Bo is launching the "M" , the "world's most advanced e-scooter". Technically, anything is possible: up to 35 km/h speed and 50 km range. Its unique rear-wheel motor delivers a peak power of 1200 W. With a torque of over 38 Nm, achieved by 34% wider magnets, climbing slopes is effortless. No loose wires or cables, no exposed mechanisms.
The iconic one-piece aluminum frame is corrosion-free and is backed by a world-unique lifetime chassis warranty. Another smart feature is the ability to connect your own smartphone as a display. With the Mous Intralock system, it can be connected to the Bo M in no time at all. Securely attached with a double locking system, the phone remains in the field of vision and enables the use of navigation apps. The Bo M can be ordered from around €2,358.
Unlocking with fingerprint
Simply place your finger on the sensor and the bike lock will open. This is what security specialist Abus promises with its new chain lock model Yardo . The technology is intended to significantly improve access speed and convenience. The new product will be available in two lengths starting at €99.95 from the fourth quarter of 2024.
Indicators for bicycles
The "Turntec" from lighting specialist Busch & Müller is an electric direction indicator (blinker) for e-bikes, S-Pedelecs, multi-track e-bikes and bicycle trailers. The scope of delivery includes four indicators (two at the front, two at the rear) and a multi-function switch for the handlebar mount, which can also be used to control the high beam or horn, if available. By indicating the change of direction or lane with the press of a thumb and a light signal, both hands always remain on the handlebars and brakes, which should ensure greater driving safety. It could also lead to cyclists indicating the change of direction more often. This was also immediately awarded the Fiets Award as Bicycle Innovation of the Year 2024. Price from €199.90.
Visibility and safety for the head
With the "Hyp-E BL.ACE", safety specialist Abus is introducing a helmet especially for e-bike commuters and other everyday cyclists. In addition to the modern design, which the manufacturer says is inspired by the automotive sector, the two light bars at the front and back of the helmet are the most striking features. They are not "just" responsible for the front and rear lights, but can also indicate a change in direction with a flashing light signal and braking with a brake light. There is a control unit on the handlebars for activating the indicator. This allows drivers to indicate changes in direction without taking their hands off the handlebars. The brake light is triggered by a signal generator that is simply pushed over the brake lever. The Hyp-E BL.ACE will be available from 2025 from €199.95 in four (Hyp-E) and two (Hyp-E.BL.ACE and Hyp-E.ACE) colors and three sizes.
Conclusion:
The bicycle industry is looking to the future with confidence. After recent turbulent months, the bicycle and ecomobility industry is making a comeback with increasing importance. "In times of economic tension, stability is the new growth. In this way, we are strengthening our position and laying a foundation for the future when the market picks up again," says Stefan Reisinger, Managing Director of Eurobike organizer fairnamic GmbH, describing the positive mood at the trade fair. This promises a sustainable mobility change with a lot of potential.
Eurobike 2025: The 33rd Eurobike will take place from Wednesday, 25 to Sunday, 29 June 2025 on the grounds of Messe Frankfurt.