Japan Electric Bicycle (E-bike) Market Research Report, 2027

Yamaha Motor Co. introduced the world's first electrically-powered bicycle models in 1993, to produce eco-friendly bicycles amid growing concerns about the environment during the 1980s. Electric bicycles first became popular among elderly people with declining physical strength. Sales increased in 2009 after the police began administering cognitive functioning tests to all drivers of motor vehicles aged 75 and up when they renewed their driver's license. Electrically assisted bicycles are a great way to burn calories and save money too. After the 2011 earthquake, people in Japan began to use e-bikes instead of taking the subway or train. It is quite common on Japan’s roads to see moms going around grocery shopping or transporting their children to and fro from school or work. Anyone who once rode an e-bike would never step back, as it is very easy to commute. The only constraint is the high prices. An e-bike can cost anywhere around the price of a second-hand car in Japan. The bestselling e-bikes in Japan are from Yamaha, Bridgestone, and Panasonic brands. Bridgestone and Yamaha have collaborated with each other. Bridgestone makes the bike frame and Yamaha makes the battery.

According to the report titled "Japan Electric Bicycle (E-Bikes) Market Research Report, 2027" published by Actual Market Research(ActualMR), the E-bike market is expected to grow by over 6.5% in terms of volume by the end of the forecast period 2027. In Japan electric bicycles have a more mature market than in other Asia-Pacific regions, as the e-bikes were introduced to consumers much earlier than in other countries. The market is expected to grow further in the coming years as consumers increasingly use this convenient mode of transportation to travel to nearby locations or to make their daily commute. the restraint is the high number of battery thefts and the high cost of buying a new battery. The stolen batteries are easily saleable in the market as they are not recognisable. Japan has e-bike registration norms in place, but batteries are not registered. Since the batteries need to be removed for charging, it is easily susceptible to theft. However, many batteries have serial numbers, but very few people keep records of them. The sticker labels can be removed as well, making stolen batteries virtually indistinguishable from legitimate products. Another factor contributing to it is the increasing number of accidents on the road due to traffic and lack of proper guidelines. Rising demand and easy resale options push prices to all-time highs.

The number of electrically powered bicycles sold in Japan has been on the rise in recent years, reflecting strong demand not only from a growing number of elderly people but also working parents with small children. Japan's e-bike market is rapidly becoming the largest means of transportation in metropolitan areas as they are more agile and faster. They can easily avoid barriers that slow down the vehicle. Also, bicycles are convenient to carry and easy to park anywhere. Renewable energy is used to power these vehicles, which results in lower GHG emissions in the environment. In Japan, electric-motor-powered bicycles must use 50% human pedal force for speeds up to 12 miles per hour, and an even larger amount of human power is necessary above that speed. These bicycles are frequently referred to as ""pedelecs"".

The market for the bike sharing service in Japan is primarily driven by the country’s thriving transportation industry. Bicycles, or bikes, are extensively utilised by the majority of the population in the country for traveling, especially in their daily commute. Furthermore, owing to increasing environmental consciousness, there is a rising inclination towards the use of bicycles, which serve as an eco-friendly alternative to other modes of transportation, such as private cars or public buses. Additionally, people are opting for a healthy lifestyle, which quintessentially includes physical exercise. Since cycling is considered one of the best physical activities to maintain sound health, individuals are incorporating it as a part of their daily lives. Moreover, it is the most preferred mode of transportation by tourists as it is pocket-friendly, convenient to use, and creates less pollution and on-road traffic.

COVID-19's Impact: 
Electric bikes have been one of those lucky industries that have benefited from COVID. As a whole, it has had strong demand for the last two years, and it seems like that demand is continuing to rise. As the public transit systems were shut down, e-bikes saw a rise in buying trends. Due to social distancing norms, commuting solo on e-bikes was the preferred choice of the consumers. Also, because people wanted to avoid crowded trains and buses, However, battery thefts saw a rise as unemployed people turned to easy money-making.

Considered in the Report
• Geography: Japan
• Base year: 2021
• Historical year: 2016
• Forecasted year: 2027

Aspects covered in this report
• Japan E-bike market with its value, volume and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Propulsion Type
• Pedal Assist
• Throttle

By Class Type
• Class 1: Pedal Assist
• Class 2: Throttle on Demand
• Class 3: Speed Pedlec

By Application
• City/Urban
• Trekking (E-mountain Bikes/e-MTB)
• Cargo
• Others (Speed e-bikes, Foldable, Fat Bicycle)

By Battery Type
• Lithium-ion Battery
• Lead-acid Battery
• Others

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analysing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning. Post this we have started doing primary calls to industry people by equally segmenting in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources. 

Intended audience 
This report can be useful to industry manufactures, consultants, Key vendors related to E-bike industry. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.