Motorized two-wheeled vehicles in the middle of the crisis? Faced with competition from electric bicycles or unlicensed cars, sales of the so-called “2WD” category fell sharply last year in France.
In general, the market fell 9% compared to 2023, according to figures from the two-wheeled vehicle observatory Solly Azar and AAA Data published this Tuesday, January 21.
The electric moped does not take off.
The electric moped market, for example, is stagnant: sales of new models fell 15.4% compared to 2023, up to 14,720 units. In the case of second-hand vehicles, the decrease is less pronounced, -6.8%, except for 9,719 examples that have changed owners.
“There is supply, but not really demand, with quite high prices and autonomy and charging problems, in addition to the practice of teleworking that reduces the demand for mobility,” underlines Marie-Laure Nivot, analyst at AAA Data.
“Two-wheeler manufacturers have fewer environmental constraints than car brands and are therefore less motivated to sell these new electric models,” he adds.
Overall, the market for new mopeds is falling sharply: -17% in 2024 to 254,422 units.
“In the city, cyclists face competition from electric bicycles and, in semi-urban or rural areas, from cars without a permit,” says Philippe Saby, general director of Solly Azar.
Sale of new motorcycles in good condition.
The only positive point in this very dark outlook for 2WDs are the sales of new motorcycles (over 125 cc) that increased by 2.3%, to 214,702 units. An audience of “neo-bikers” that should continue to drive sales in 2025, Philippe Saby hopes.
For him, regulatory limitations, such as paid parking or the creation of ZFE, weigh more on the moped than on the pleasure motorcycle.
On the other hand, sales of second-hand motorcycles plummeted, -8.3%, remaining below 600,000 sales in 2024, compared to almost 654,000 in 2024. A first effect of the technical inspection of the 2 wheels, implemented since last year? Although it does not yet affect recent models, it is now mandatory to purchase a vehicle that is more than 5 years old.
“I think it is too early to have technical control as an explanatory factor for this drop in second-hand goods; currently there is more of an attitude of waiting, concern about new regulations, but also the problem of prices and teleworking with more restricted travel,” explains Philippe Saby.
The two-wheeler observatory also shows a market decline in major regions, especially in the case of mopeds. Sales fell by 14% in Ile-de-France, 20% in New Aquitaine and 19% in Auvergne-Rhône Alpes.
Source: BFM TV
