Electric bikes hit mainstream popularity in two distinct waves: first in China during the early 2000s, then in Europe and North America roughly a decade later, with a massive acceleration during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The global e-bike market reached nearly $36 billion in revenue by 2024, but the road to that figure stretches back further than most people realize.
China Led the First Wave in the Early 2000s
The e-bike explosion started in China, and the speed was staggering. Annual e-bike sales there grew from just 40,000 units in 1998 to over 10 million by 2005, according to research from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies. By 2006, Chinese manufacturers were projected to produce 18 million units in a single year. No other transportation mode in the country had expanded that quickly.
Several factors fueled this growth. Chinese cities were congested, gas-powered scooters were being restricted for pollution reasons, and e-bikes offered a cheap, practical alternative. Government policy didn’t so much promote e-bikes as clear a path for them by cracking down on the alternatives. For hundreds of millions of Chinese commuters, electric bikes weren’t a lifestyle upgrade. They were basic transportation.
Better Batteries Changed Everything
Early electric bikes were heavy, slow, and short-ranged because they relied on lead-acid batteries, the same bulky technology found in car starters. The shift to lithium-ion batteries, which had already transformed smartphones and laptops, gave e-bikes a second life in Western markets.
Major bike manufacturers started revisiting electric models around 2008 as lithium-ion technology matured. One industry executive noted that his company had shelved its e-bike program for 20 years after an unsuccessful attempt with nickel metal hydride batteries, only returning when the battery landscape improved. The new cells were lighter, lasted longer, and fit neatly inside the oversized frame tubes that had become standard in modern bicycle design. Today, most e-bikes get between 30 and 120 miles on a single charge, a range that makes them genuinely practical for commuting and errands.
The 2010s Brought Slow, Steady Growth in the West
Throughout the 2010s, e-bikes gained ground in Europe first, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany, where cycling infrastructure was already well established. The introduction of “pedelec” systems, bikes that use sensors to detect how hard you’re pedaling and add proportional motor assistance, made the experience feel natural rather than like riding a moped. This was a critical distinction. Pedelecs attracted commuters and older riders who wanted help on hills or headwinds without abandoning the feel of cycling.
In the United States, adoption was slower. Regulatory confusion held things back: different states had different rules about where e-bikes could legally ride, what speed they could reach, and whether they counted as bicycles or motor vehicles. A three-class categorization system gradually gained traction, sorting e-bikes by top assisted speed and whether they had a throttle. In 2019, the Department of the Interior issued an order allowing e-bikes on federal lands in a manner consistent with traditional bicycles, opening access to trails and paths that had previously been off-limits. These regulatory milestones didn’t generate headlines, but they removed friction that had kept cautious buyers on the sidelines.
2020: The Pandemic Tipping Point
If there’s a single year when e-bikes went from “growing niche” to “mainstream phenomenon” in North America, it’s 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed people away from public transit and toward outdoor activities, and cycling traffic surged. In New York City alone, cycling increased by 50% compared to the previous year.
Demand for all types of bikes spiked so sharply that the industry couldn’t keep up. Supply chains buckled as factories in East Asia shut down, U.S. manufacturers faced parts shortages, and imports slowed to a trickle. The resulting bike shortage lasted well into 2022. Within that broader boom, e-bikes carved out a distinct space. Casual riders discovered that electric assist made cycling accessible for longer distances and hillier terrain, while enthusiasts who already owned traditional bikes added e-bikes as a second option for commuting or hauling cargo.
The pandemic didn’t just create a temporary spike. It permanently shifted how millions of people thought about short-distance transportation. Cities responded by expanding protected bike lanes, and municipalities began offering purchase subsidies and rebates that further lowered the barrier to entry.
Why Popularity Kept Growing After the Pandemic
Several forces have kept e-bike sales climbing even after pandemic-era restrictions ended. Infrastructure investment plays a significant role: cities with protected bike lanes and bike-share programs see higher adoption rates, and both private and shared e-bike programs continue expanding across North American urban areas. The cost of gas and parking in major cities makes e-bikes financially attractive for commuters covering distances under 10 or 15 miles.
The bikes themselves have also improved dramatically. Modern e-bikes look nearly indistinguishable from traditional bicycles, with batteries hidden inside the frame and motors integrated into the hub or crankset. Prices have dropped as competition has increased, with capable models now available at a fraction of what early adopters paid. Cargo e-bikes, designed with front or rear platforms for carrying groceries or children, have opened up an entirely new use case that traditional bikes struggled to serve.
By 2024, the global e-bike market had reached roughly $36 billion in annual revenue. E-bikes now outsell electric cars in many countries, making them, by sheer numbers, the most popular electric vehicle in the world. What started as a practical commuting solution in Chinese cities two decades ago has become a global transportation category that shows no signs of slowing down.