Automakers are already seeing an omen for the auto industry, with millions of new e-bike riders opting for lighter, more efficient vehicles. Now Toyota has become the latest in a long line of automakers to enter the e-bike market.
Like many other automakers that have released e-bikes over the past few months and years, Toyota isn’t doing it alone.
Instead, the Japanese automaker is partnering with an existing e-bike manufacturer through a licensing agreement.
Electric bike manufacturer DOUZE Cycles has partnered with France’s Toyota to create the DOUZE Cycles x La mobilité Toyota electric cargo bike based on the existing DOUZE Hêta model.
The front loading cargo bed of this front loading cargo e-bike can carry up to 100 kg (220 lbs) of payload.
The e-bike is powered by a Yamaha mid-drive motor and 500Wh battery with a rated pedal-assist range of 100 kilometers (62 miles).
For those carrying more valuable cargo, you can opt for the optional passenger bucket, which can accommodate three children strapped in at the front.
Frank Marotte, chairman and CEO of Toyota France, explained in a statement that the new e-bike partnership follows Toyota’s sustainability roadmap, which began with early investments in hybrid vehicles:
25 years ago, Toyota began the hybridization journey with the first-generation Prius, pointing the way to decarbonization. As the world’s leading hybrid, Toyota is at the center of the brand’s multi-technology strategy to meet each consumer’s specific mobility needs. Soft and local mobility is one of these needs. Therefore, based on a shared vision, it was natural for us to enter into a partnership with DOUZE Cycles, a major player in the French cargo bike market. Given Toyota’s history in France, it is extremely important to us that our partners have production sites in France.
Toyota has famously shunned all-electric vehicles, instead investing heavily in hybrid vehicles that still run on fossil fuels.
After years of opposing all-electric vehicles and replacing the company’s anti-EV CEO, Toyota may be warming up to electric vehicles—or at least two-wheeled electric vehicles.
Toyota appears to be concentrating its e-bike business not only in France, but also making progress in the United States. A Toyota dealership in Denver (pictured below) was spotted selling Avington electric bikes.
Over the past few years, several automakers have also jumped on the e-bike bandwagon, chasing a rapidly expanding market and low barriers to entry into the lightweight two-wheeler electric vehicle market.
Peugeot has developed its own diverse range of e-bikes, while Spain’s Seat previously partnered with Barcelona-based Silence to launch its own brand of sit-stand electric scooters.
General Motors independently developed an electric bicycle, although it was unceremoniously discontinued at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, General Motors recently showed off a Hummer e-bike built as part of a licensing agreement to complement the big, nasty Hummer EV.
Skoda has unveiled one of the weirdest electric bike/scooter concepts we’ve ever seen, although there’s no indication it’s going to go into production.
Jeep has entered the performance e-bike segment with a licensing deal, although the company’s similar efforts to co-develop an electric scooter have been decidedly less impressive.
Electric truck and SUV maker Rivian recently expanded its brand to include electric bicycles. The company has also hired some of the best talent in the e-bike industry, making the transition to e-bikes even more likely.
Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast also recently showcased four exciting new electric bikes.
Even motorcycle manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Ducati and BMW Motorrad have tried their hand at developing e-bikes and scooters, although Harley and Ducati’s results are more impressive than BMW’s.
Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery geek, and author of the #1 Amazon best-selling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Panels, The Complete Guide to the DIY Electric Bike, and The Electric Bike Manifesto.
Miki’s current daily rider e-bikes include the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and $3,299 Priority Current. But these days, this list is constantly changing.
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Post time: Jan-05-2024