Sales of electric motorcycles have been rising steadily in recent times. Industry data shows that domestic electric motorcycle sales in April increased by 35.24% year-on-year, indicating robust market demand. To capitalize on this market opportunity, major leading brands are intensively launching new electric motorcycle models and expanding their product portfolios, making electric motorcycles a core avenue for companies to achieve significant business growth.
Industry insiders analyze that multiple positive factors are driving this wave of strong electric motorcycle sales, including demand shifts spurred by new national standards, the concentrated launch of new models in the spring season, and the relaxation of motorcycle access policies in many regions. Concurrently, the global trend of transitioning from fuel-powered to electric two-wheelers is clear, and Chinese electric motorcycles are showing strong momentum in overseas expansion. The industry maintains high growth expectations for the full-year electric motorcycle market.
Domestic Electric Motorcycle Sales See Major Increase
At two-wheeler retail stores in Yanjiao, Hebei, adjacent to Beijing's Tongzhou district, the strong sales momentum for electric motorcycle models is evident.
A recent visit to local offline stores of brands like Aima, Ninebot, and Niu Technologies revealed that the core display areas of these stores prominently feature electric motorcycles and electric mopeds. Staff at many stores reported that electric motorcycle transactions already account for over 70% of total store sales. Coupled with mid-year promotional events in June, daily sales have increased significantly compared to the beginning of the year.
A staff member at one brand store explained, "After the new national standard took effect, the supply of electric bicycles contracted, and prices generally rose. With the same budget, electric motorcycle products offer more advantages in terms of power and range. Additionally, motorcycle access controls in Yanjiao are relatively relaxed, making these models a preferred choice for many cross-city commuters. This electric moped has a factory-designed maximum speed of 50km/h, with motor power and battery voltage exceeding the national standard for ordinary electric bicycles. As a motor vehicle, it requires a blue motor vehicle license plate, and the rider must hold a corresponding driving license."
Information obtained from leading two-wheeler electric vehicle companies indicates that their electric motorcycle businesses are experiencing rapid growth. A representative from Niu Technologies stated that the company's domestic electric motorcycle sales in the first quarter of this year tripled compared to the same period last year. Strong sales of mid-to-high-end models, demand growth in second- and third-tier cities, expansion into lower-tier markets, and demand for long-range products have significantly boosted dealer ordering willingness.
Ninebot's new electric motorcycle models have shown impressive initial sales data. On May 29th, the brand launched several products, achieving online sales exceeding 1.5 billion yuan and selling over 23,000 units within four hours.
A representative from Aima Technology stated that the company's electric motorcycle shipments have achieved double-digit year-on-year growth this year, with faster growth rates in North and East China markets. This growth is driven partly by the conversion of existing demand following the new national standard transition and partly by increased market enthusiasm following Chinese motorcycle racing victories. Currently, channel distributors overall have good inventory preparation willingness.
Robust demand is driving the industry to accelerate the expansion of its electric motorcycle product portfolios. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's 407th motor vehicle announcement released on May 9th shows that companies like Yadea, Ninebot, Aima, Tailg, Niu Technologies, and ZEEHO are collectively applying for new electric motorcycle models, making electric two-wheeled motorcycles a core highlight of this announcement's two-wheeler section, with a substantial increase in the number of new product applications.
Leading companies are simultaneously ramping up electric motorcycle production capacity construction to match long-term growth needs. Niu Technologies signed an agreement on January 30th in Changzhou's Xitaihu for an annual production project of 1.5 million units of high-end intelligent mobility products. Upon full operation, the total annual capacity of the Xitaihu base could reach 3 million units.
"From the production line setup perspective, the newly added two high-speed flexible production lines for electric motorcycles are specifically designed for the electric motorcycle category, capable of flexibly adapting to the rapid model changeover production of electric motorcycle products with different configurations and specifications," a representative from Niu Technologies stated.
Policies Gradually Optimized in Multiple Regions
"Compared to electric bicycles, electric motorcycle products have prominent advantages, their user base continues to expand, and they have become the preferred choice for consumers in county-level and lower-tier markets," said a senior executive from a leading brand.
Policy easing in many regions is a key driver of the significant growth in the current electric motorcycle market. In February this year, the China Motorcycle Chamber of Commerce published an article titled "Wuhan City Optimizes Motorcycle Management Policy, Removing Central Urban Area License Plate Restriction Clauses," stating that motorcycles, as convenient short-distance transportation tools, can meet citizens' diverse travel needs and help improve urban micro-circulation of traffic.
"In recent years, many regions across the country have gradually optimized motorcycle ban and restriction policies. Wuhan's adjustment is a pragmatic measure that follows this trend," the China Motorcycle Chamber of Commerce stated.
Niu Technologies indicated that the "policy easing effect" in multiple regions has significantly boosted the conversion of electric motorcycle sales at the retail level.
"Policies in many regions have gradually relaxed restrictions for occupational groups with rigid needs, such as food delivery and courier services. After the new national standard, some electric bicycle users switched to electric motorcycles to meet commuting demands for speed and range. Coupled with convenient measures like the relaxation of the driving license application age and unified certificate processing, these factors have lowered the consumption barrier," a representative from Aima Technology stated.
Brands Accelerate Overseas Expansion
Beyond the substantial expansion in domestic sales scale, incremental growth in overseas markets is also impressive. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs, exports of electric motorcycles and pedal-assisted bicycles by private enterprises in the first quarter of this year increased by 30% year-on-year, with foreign trade business effectively driving overall industry sales upward.
Behind the high export growth is the prominent overseas competitiveness of Chinese manufacturing. A representative from Ninebot stated that the domestic two-wheeler industry possesses numerous advantages. On one hand, the entire industry chain is independently controllable, with high self-sufficiency rates across upstream sectors like lithium batteries, motors, and electronic controls; midstream sectors like molds and wiring harnesses; and downstream vehicle assembly. The supporting system is globally leading, with hundreds of suppliers for a single model, and one-stop procurement significantly improves delivery efficiency.
On the other hand, domestic independent R&D and innovation capabilities are outstanding. For example, the company's technology iteration cycle has shortened to 6-8 months, much faster than the 12-18 month pace of foreign peers. Furthermore, advantages in global layout and localized operations are significant. Sales of domestic brands are rapidly increasing in many overseas markets, and companies are accelerating the construction of local overseas factories, which allows for demand-based model customization and effectively mitigates trade risks.
The current trend of electric substitution for global fuel-powered two-wheelers is evident, and leading companies are increasing their efforts to expand in overseas markets.
On May 13th, during an institutional research meeting, Ninebot stated that demand in the electric motorcycle market will continue to rise, and the revenue proportion of the electric motorcycle category is expected to remain high in the long term. The company's strategic foresight in early layout of the electric motorcycle track has already shown advantages. "Ninebot has designated Vietnam as the core first stop for the scaled overseas expansion of its two-wheelers. In March this year, the company formed a dedicated team to conduct comprehensive, in-depth research locally, completing assessments of local brands, domestic peers' products, channels, and user needs. The research results indicate clear market opportunities for the brand in product optimization and localization adaptation."
Niu Technologies has achieved significant results in its overseas market expansion. The company previously disclosed first-quarter 2026 overseas vehicle sales of 13,686 units, with its electric motorcycle products ranking high in sales in markets like Germany and Italy.
"Since 2024, the company has established a network of over 250 stores in Europe, supported by local teams providing full-chain supporting services. In overseas competition, Chinese electric motorcycle brands possess multiple core barriers: a complete and mature domestic industry chain bringing cost advantages, leading-iteration intelligent electronic control and battery powertrain technology, and a mature product system validated by the large-scale domestic market," a representative from Niu Technologies stated.
A recent research report from Orient Securities analyzes that the vast incremental growth space overseas is expected to raise the overall sales ceiling for vehicle companies. Global regional markets show a significantly differentiated pattern: Latin America is the largest export destination for domestic two-wheelers, accounting for about 40% of exports; the African market has a growth rate exceeding 70%, leading globally; Southeast Asia has sufficient existing rigid travel demand, with broad market penetration space; Europe is a high-end, high-premium blue ocean market with average prices exceeding 5,000 euros; Japan and South Korea, supported by favorable policies, have become new breakthrough tracks for domestic brands.
Jiang Han, a senior researcher at Pangoal Institution, stated that the electrification of overseas fuel-powered two-wheelers is a certain long-term trend. In the long run, transitioning from simple product exports to localized industrial layouts overseas is a key way for companies to avoid trade barriers and consolidate overseas market share.
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