BAD SODEN, Germany - The promotion of cycling as preferred transport mode during and after the COVID-19 crisis has been picked up around Europe. However, in Germany, the automotive industry's demand to support car purchases to compensate for corona-related failures provoke a lot of negative reactions. In a joint effort the Germany bicycle industry and partners called for a mobility premium for everyone, including e-bikes and not only for cars.
NEVERS, France - The French bicycle manufacturer, Look Cycle group (Look Cycle and Corima), has reviewed the way it functions, in light of the measures applied during the coronavirus pandemic. Federico Musi, the group's CEO, explains how some of the problems they've encountered recently have given them a fresh look at how the business is run.
TAOYUAN, Taiwan - Gogoro, the Taiwanese-based electric scooter and battery manufacturer, has announced plans to enter the US e-bike market in May with the launch of a product named Eeyo. A European product launch will follow later in the summer.
AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - VanMoof, the Dutch bike-meets-smart-tech company, launched their next generation e-bikes this week at a significantly lower cost than previous launches. The bicycle manufacturer claims that taking control of the whole production process has allowed them to develop a high-tech range at a lower cost for consumers.
ALTENBERGE, Germany - Bicycle/ebike assembler, AT Zweirad, is expanding their production facilities in Altenberge in anticipation of the growing e-bike market. The first concrete pillars of a new assembly plant have been placed and a groundbreaking ceremony has been held. Completion is expected in early Autumn.
比利時，布魯塞爾（Brussels）－政府針對新冠肺炎祭出的防疫措施幾乎癱瘓了整個歐洲自行車產業。但另一方面，自行車店因為需要提供民眾都會移動工具而被列為必要營業之商店。自行車產業現在又是如何應對此困境？CONEBI主席Erhard Büchel在接受Bike Europe訪問時表示：「這些艱難的時刻最終會讓我們更加團結，因為現在人們確實理解到自行車和這個產業在歐洲的重要性了。」
荷蘭，阿培爾頓（Apeldoorn）－Merida Benelux多年來都有為消費者提供網路訂購並由當地代理商運送的服務。在疫情肆虐之時，由於比利時的自行車店都關閉、荷蘭也開始轉為網路購物，才讓這樣的購物方式變得更為普遍。
德國，柏林（Berlin）－德國聯邦政府於上週宣佈自行車店將可重新營業，這對自行車產業來說是一大好消息。該國作為歐洲最大的（電動）自行車市場，重啟零售對於其他歐洲國家在未來疫情過後恢復銷售的表現會如何將是一個重要的指標。
DOETINCHEM, the Netherlands - Across Europe, countries are taking small steps forwards in reopening their industries. Time to evaluate what impact closures have had on the bicycle supply chain and supported businesses. What steps are European companies now taking and what impact has so far been felt?
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Cycling industries are game changers for decarbonized mobility in Europe. The industry organization Cycling Industries Europe (CIE) puts the impact of the sector and its new innovations in the spotlight at its 2020 summit. Next week's online summit will put experts of the e-bike and bicycle industry together with key Brussels stakeholders.
MILAN, Italy - A taskforce of experts put together by the Italian government to bring the country out of the Covid19 crisis are looking towards bicycles as a safer means of transportation in cities. Among the proposals of the task force, led by Vittorio Colao, are calls for financing of e-bikes to avoid crowding on public transport.
JIANGSU, China - During the coronavirus pandemic, public transport in many Chinese cities was temporarily suspended and sharing e-cycles began to show their value. As the country begins the gradual pJIANGSU, China - During the coronavirus pandemic, public transport in many Chinese cities was temporarily suspended and shared (e)bicycles began to show their value. As the country begins the gradual process of going back to work, the operational volume of shared e-bikes has increased significantly, a trend which is expected to continue this year.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Governmental measures to limit the impact of the Coronavirus brought the European bicycle industry almost to a standstill. On the other hand, bicycle shops have been labelled as essential in order to provide people the necessary means of urban mobility. How is the bicycle industry handling this confusing situation? When asked by Bike Europe, CONEBI President Erhard Büchel stated, "these difficult times will make us stronger in the end as people now do realise the importance of the bicycle and its industry in Europe."
GARREL, Germany - Heiko Plorinn has been appointed General Manager of Roland Werk GmbH, a family business based in Garrel, Germany in April 2020. The company's main shareholder Thomas Kalkhoff, who is currently responsible for daily operations wanted to realise a generational change. The appointment is also seen as the next step in the further development of the company whose core business is the production of wheels.
APELDOORN, the Netherlands - For several years, Merida Benelux has offered consumers the option of ordering a bicycle online and then having it delivered via a local dealer. In this era of corona, this hybrid way of shopping is particularly popular due to bicycle shop closures in Belgium and the switch to online shopping in the Netherlands.
BERLIN, Germany - The re-opening of bicycle shops in Germany as announced last night by the federal and state government comes as a big relief for the bicycle industry. As Europe's largest e-bike and bicycle market the restart of retail will be an important indication on how sales will develop when shops will be allowed to open after the Corona crisis in other European countries.
HOOGEVEEN, the Netherlands - For two years, Dutch bicycle manufacturer, Azor worked on their bicycle configurator, spending tens of thousands of euros to develop the system. But Azor director Jan Rijkeboer, is pleased with the result: "a digital bicycle assembly tool with the capability of up to 10 billion possible configurations."
LELYSTAD, the Netherlands - Giant Europe has started building a new distribution centre in Lelystad the Netherlands, to strengthen its position in Europe. Despite the coronavirus lockdown measures in the country, Giant confirms that this has had minimal impact and construction is still on schedule for completion in 2020.
