Short History Lesson
E-bikes didn’t originate in the 21st century; they actually predate the 20th. The first designs date to 1895. Early versions were niche and heavy, uncomfortable, and inefficient. In 1990, Michael Kutter introduced a pedal-assist concept similar to what we ride today, and Yamaha followed with its PAS system in 1993. Today, e-bikes are no longer niche, they’re everywhere. But how widespread is their adoption?
The Numbers
Today, e-bikes are being adopted rapidly. In France, sales exceeded 500,000 last year and accounted for 29% of all new bicycle purchases. In the Netherlands, roughly 400,000 e-bikes were sold, 48% of the total number of bikes sold, and in Germany, about 2.1 million, around 53% of total bike sales. Across Europe, e-bike sales topped five million in 2024, outpacing electric cars by unit volume. In the United States, annual sales passed one million in 2022 and continue to grow. Taken together, the signal is clear: e-mobility has arrived.
Why does that matter?
Because e-bikes make everyday travel simpler. They offer the speed of moving past traffic, the freedom to park almost anywhere, and the health benefits of an active trip at a fraction of the cost and impact of driving.
The gap
Adoption has outpaced the basics that make riding easy. Many riders still don’t have a safe place to charge when they’re away from home. Valuable batteries left outdoors invite theft, which drives people to bring them inside and plug in wherever they can. That creates safety risks. Some venues now ban charging altogether, leaving riders to improvise. In the Netherlands, rising theft numbers highlight the pressure to keep batteries close.
A practical Fix
The answer is straightforward: safe, supervised charging in places where people already spend time. Think cinemas, stadiums, museums, offices, mobility hubs, or event spaces. When charging fits naturally into daily routines, riders don’t need to improvise and venues aren’t asked to take on unmanaged risk
PowerShelter: Building What Cities Need
That’s the idea behind new public charging projects across European cities. In Amsterdam, for example, a network of fire-safe, secure lockers is being installed at everyday destinations so riders can store and charge a battery while they get on with their day.
Conclusion
People are already choosing e-bikes. Now the job is to make that choice easy to keep by pairing good routes and secure parking with safe, convenient charging in the places people already go.