The development history of road – type electric bicycles

The EcoE 5000W electric bike

Powerful Motor: EcoE is equipped with a 60V 5000W high-speed brushless motor. Due to different loads and road conditions, the electric bike drive system provides adjustable assistance, allowing you to stay healthy, relax, and exercise.
Accessories: This electric bike accessory set includes a rearview mirror, water bottle holder and bottle, a sturdy phone mount, and a waterproof phone pouch. The reinforced cargo rack allows you to easily carry extra items needed for your ride. Additionally, if you need more accessories, you can purchase a detachable storage rack, passenger safety seat, trailer, and more.
60V 32AH Battery: The bike is equipped with a high-capacity, removable 32AH battery, providing longer range per charge and over 1000 charge cycles. With pedal assist, the fat tire e-bike can travel 35-80 miles, depending on riding mode, load, and terrain. You can also purchase a spare battery for extended trips.
Comfort and Versatility: This fat tire electric bike comes with dual front suspension and rear shocks to reduce impact and strain during rides. Its 26-inch wheels, 4-inch tires, and SHIM 7-speed system offer excellent grip across diverse terrains. Front and rear disc brakes ensure safe, responsive stopping, whether on mountain trails or city streets.

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Early exploration (late 19th century – mid – 20th century)

• In 1881, Gustave Trouvé from France created the world’s first electric tricycle, which was an important starting point for the development of electric vehicles8.
• In 1895, Ogden Bolton from the United States invented the direct – drive rear – hub electric bicycle, which was considered as an early prototype of electric bicycles8. However, limited by the battery technology at that time, lead – acid batteries were heavy and had a short range, so electric bicycles remained in the laboratory stage and failed to be widely used5.

Technological breakthroughs and commercialization attempts (1970s – 1990s)

• In the 1970s, the oil crisis broke out, and countries began to explore alternative energy sources, which provided an opportunity for the development of electric bicycles5.
• In 1989, Yamaha from Japan launched the first mass – produced electric – assist bicycle (Pedelec), using nickel – hydrogen batteries, which initiated the commercialization process of electric bicycles5.
• In 1995, Tsinghua University developed an electric bicycle with a hub motor, which reduced energy consumption. During the same period, some Chinese enterprises began to produce simple electric bicycles. However, the technology was relatively backward, mainly using lead – acid batteries, with problems such as short range and heavy body5.
• In 1999, China issued the national standard GB17761 – 1999 General Technical Conditions for Electric Bicycles, which standardized the technical indicators of electric bicycles and promoted the standardization development of the industry7.

Popularization and explosive growth period (2000s – 2010s)

• Since 2000, electric bicycles have been mass – produced in China8. With the progress of technology, their driving range has increased, and they have gradually become an upgraded product of bicycles and even replaced motorcycles to a certain extent1.
• In 2001, the National Bicycle Information Center held an information exchange meeting and a driving range competition for electric bicycles, which effectively promoted the development of electric bicycle technology7.
• In 2005, the output of electric bicycles in China exceeded 10 million, and large – scale enterprises represented by Xinri, Luyuan, Qianhe, and Daluge were formed.
• From 2007 to 2013, the electric bicycle industry experienced explosive growth, with the output exceeding 30 million and the ownership exceeding 200 million8. In the global market, due to the prevalence of environmental protection concepts and cycling culture in Europe, the sales of electric – assist bicycles (E – bike) increased by more than 20% annually on average5.

Maturity and innovation period (2020s – present)

• Technologically, battery technology has been continuously innovated. Companies such as CATL have developed sodium – ion batteries and solid – state batteries, enabling a range of over 200 kilometers and reducing the charging time to 15 minutes5. Meanwhile, intelligence has become an important development trend. Segway – Ninebot has launched models that support APP control, automatic anti – theft, and OTA upgrades, and AI algorithms have been applied to optimize energy management5.
• In terms of policy regulations, in 2019, China’s “new national standard” was implemented, strictly regulating the speed limit, vehicle weight, and other indicators of electric bicycles, eliminating some low – end manufacturers. The market share of leading brands such as Yadea and Aima exceeded 60%5. The European Union has also introduced standards, requiring that the motor power of E – bike be ≤ 250W. If it exceeds the limit, it needs to be registered as a light motorcycle to promote product compliance5.
• In terms of market competition, Chinese brands have actively gone global. Yadea has entered 80 countries, and its global sales exceeded 14 million in 2022. NIU has a market share of over 20% in the European high – end market5. In addition, cross – border competition has become increasingly fierce. Automobile companies such as Tesla and BMW have laid out electric motorcycles, and traditional motorcycle giant Harley – Davidson has launched the LiveWire series5.

The following is a related table for sorting: