In 2022, the EU exported €1.1 billion worth of bicycles (both electric and non-electric) (+22% compared with 2021). The imports amounted to more than double the exports, with €2.5 billion worth of bicycles (+32%). The overall increase in the trade value of bicycles can be attributed to an increase in the trade of electric bicycles, which are typically more expensive, reads the recent data of Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union.
A further look into the 2022 data shows that the EU exported 365 thousand electric bicycles (+16% compared with 2021) and imported 1.2 million electric bicycles (+16%). Meanwhile, the EU exported 1 million non-electric bicycles (-31% compared with 2021) and imported 5.2 million (-9%).
Switzerland and the UK lead destinations for exports
In 2022, Switzerland was the main destination for EU exports of non-electric bicycles (25% of the extra-EU total, measured in value), followed by the United Kingdom (23%), and the United States (7%).
For exports of electric bicycles, Switzerland and the UK were also the main destinations (38% and 27% of total extra-EU electric bicycle exports, respectively), followed by the United States (13%) and Norway (9%).
Cambodia and Taiwan: main sources of bicycle imports
In 2022, EU imports of non-electric bicycles came mainly from Cambodia (30% of total extra-EU bicycle imports), Taiwan (23%), China (11%), Bangladesh (10%) and Türkiye (6%).
Meanwhile, imports of electric bicycles into the EU came primarily from Taiwan (56% of total extra-EU electric bicycle imports), followed by Vietnam (14%), Switzerland (13%), China (8%) and Türkiye (5%).
