Eurobike - increased focus on micromobililty

May 13, 2019

Numerous new exhibitors of small electric vehicles - Hall A1 dedicated to new forms of urban mobility - Mobility theme with reach beyond the show

The multi-billion-dollar micromobility business continues to roll onwards with a wide range of solutions for urban users, industry and the retail trade. Established forms of urban mobility - such as bicycles - but also new mobility solutions and trends - such as e-scooters and innovative digital products - are increasingly gaining greater prominence at Eurobike.

The Center for Future Mobility at business consultants McKinsey estimates the global 2030 market potential for micromobility at 300 to 500 billion US dollars.[1]. According to McKinsey, stakeholders have already invested nearly six billion US dollars in start-ups in the micromobility sector. Among the micromobility start-ups, in particular companies offering scooters and bike sharing, are several unicorn companies with a current valuation of one billion US dollars or more. Legalisation of e-scooters is currently high on the political agenda in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has recently drawn up new regulation for small electric vehicles that now only needs to be passed by the Upper House of the German Parliament (Bundesrat). "Micromobility, in the form of e-scooters, has enormous potential for the future. Together with public transport, it is another real alternative to the car. It is ideal for the last mile of the subway or the commuter train, or for the distance from the bus stop to the house or to work. As such, we are paving the way for future mobility and simultaneously ensuring safety on our roads,” says Andreas Scheuer, Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

Stefan Reisinger, Head of Eurobike and responsible for bike, micromobility and outdoor at Messe Friedrichshafen comments. "Around 60 per cent of all car journeys are under eight kilometres. This is where bikes, e-bikes and increasingly small electric vehicles represent an alternative which is not only more sustainable, but also a faster way of reaching a destination. Under the micromobility heading, mobility solutions are becoming increasingly connected and seamless. In the digital age, city dwellers will use just one single smartphone app and decide according to the situation, the weather and their requirements, whether to use an e-scooter, a bike sharing scheme, public transport or car sharing. Urban mobility in the future will mean that people will no longer define themselves as cyclists, drivers, or public transport users, but instead decide spontaneously, according to the situation, which form of transport best fits their requirements - or maybe even just which form offers them the most enjoyment. This development will also be reflected more clearly in the future at Eurobike, as the leading international trade show for bikes and all bike-related matters. Moreover, innovations in the traditional bike and e-bike sectors are increasingly influenced by digital developments.”

Eurobike at Lake Constance originally started back in 1991 as a meeting point for the young mountain bike industry. Now in recent years, we have seen how bike-related themes have gained greater prominence. In particular, Hall A1 has increasingly established itself as the focal point for new forms of mobility at the Eurobike trade show. By 2018, exhibitors were organised into the theme areas: digital solutions; e-bike components; and the dynamic cargo bike sector. "For 2019, we have numerous new exhibitors for this special area from the small electric vehicle sector as well as players from the automotive industry and platform providers. Our decision last year to bring mobility themes together at a central location is making waves beyond the traditional boundaries of the bike industry,” explains Eurobike Project Manager Dirk Heidrich.

This year’s Eurobike takes place from 4 to 7 September 2019 on the Messe Friedrichshafen show grounds. However, it’s brand reach continues during the 361 days of the year when the international bicycle industry is not gathering at Lake Constance, as the Eurobike also stands for mobility issues beyond the trade fair. Some weeks before Eurobike, the new media event Urban Mobility Media Days by Eurobike premières from 10 to 11 July in Frankfurt am Main, where major mobility brands will be giving the media a first look at new developments for 2020. And with "ASEANBIKE powered by Eurobike” (3 to 5 October 2019), Messe Friedrichshafen is launching a new event based in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, at the centre of an important region for manufacturing and sourcing products related to micromobility.

The Eurobike motto is: tomorrow starts here and now. "Bike retailers, distributors, manufacturers and other market players want to understand what the future holds for the market. Anyone who wants to know what will be the themes shaping the agenda beyond their immediate business environment, is in the right place at Eurobike,” says Head of Eurobike Stefan Reisinger.

Eurobike 2019 includes three working days open to trade visitors only (4 - 6 September), while Saturday, 7 September 2019, is Festival Day and will once again celebrate consumer enthusiasm for bikes and mobility. For further information, visit www.eurobike-show.de.