466 Million Electric Scooters on the Road by 2016, Report Says

As the world can’t take its eyes off the electric automobile industry, something else is happening behind everybody’s back: a lot of companies are developing two-wheel electric vehicles. The idea is not bad at all, as Pike Research says more than 466 million e-bikes, e-motorcycles, and e-scooters will be sold worldwide during the period of time between 2010 to 2016.

“Demographics and economics are aligning to create a strong market opportunity for two-wheel electric vehicles,” said industry analyst Dave Hurst. “In some countries, these vehicles will be engines of economic growth, while in others they will be signals of broader consumer behavioral shifts.”

According to Pikes Research, “Asia Pacific in general, and China in particular, will dominate the global electric two-wheel vehicle market, representing more than 95% of sales during the next six years. He expects that e-bikes will the largest category with 56% of the market, followed by e-motorcycles at 43% and e-scooters in a distant third place with less than 1%.”

Though producing such numbers seems difficult for the time being, the real barrier is the lack of distribution. Pikes Research added that “many manufacturers are working diligently to find a combination of independent dealers, mass retailers, and online sales that will effectively deliver the vehicles and after-sales service to customers.”

If these guys are right, and they probably are, we’re looking at a future where e-bikes, e-motorcycles, and e-scooters will become more and more popular. So we’ll not only have to watch out for noiseless cars, but also for motorcycles and scooters.