Is ‘buying an electric car for $70,000-150,000 and waiting 9 months to receive it’ a smart choice in a time of fuel price storms? User ‘say no’ and chooses this media type
The Pedego e-bike shop in ST.Louis is usually closed for 2 months because of low sales, not enough for the store to maintain operations during the winter. However, this year, a high volume of unusual calls caused it to reopen early.
According to Don DiCostanzo, CEO of Pedego, February has become their “big win” month. “We’re seeing a spike in orders. Every month is another sales record,” said the e-bike brand’s 208 dealerships across North America.
DiCostanzo believes rising fuel prices are boosting sales. “I’m not going to tell you it’s all about the fuel,” he said. “But I absolutely believe it’s been a catalyst, driving more people to look at alternative forms of mobility.”
Other e-bike brands in the US tell a similar story: sales grew faster than expected, beating expectations that were already high due to the outbreak of the pandemic. In addition to high fuel prices, the relaxation of restrictions, and more people returning to the office may play a role.
“I spend most of my day chatting with people who are importers, Brand Managers or retailers of e-bikes,” said Ed Benjamin, founder and president of the Light Electric Vehicle Association for know. “And they tell me that users are coming, asking and buying e-bikes as personal transportation.”
At Dutch e-bike maker VanMoof, sales over the past few weeks have more than doubled the company’s predictions. “We think it’s because of rising gas prices,” said Taco Carlier, co-founder and CEO of VanMoof.
Gregg’s Cycle, one of the largest bike retailers in the Seattle area, just had its best February since opening in 1932. “I think it’s a result of rising gas prices,” Marty Pluth – CEO of this chain said.
Seattle e-bike startup Rad Power Bikes surveyed its customers at checkout about their reasons for buying. According to co-founder and CEO Mike Radenbaugh, many give reasons for the high fuel costs. “In the past, electric bicycles increased sales because people wanted to find a safe means of transport, ensuring the distance factor during the epidemic. Now, the high fuel price makes sales continue to skyrocket. “, said Radenbaugh. “E-bikes are in a growth-on-growth phase.”
Electric scooter and e-bike sharing companies are also feeling the rise. Earlier this week, Bird Global founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden said rising gas prices helped boost demand in the first quarter of this year. The company said it is planning to launch a major advertising campaign, including billboards in New York’s Times Square and in San Francisco over the next few days.
Lime, Bird’s main rival, which operates in more than 50 US cities, said the number of people renting its electric scooters and e-bikes increased by nearly two-thirds in February from a year earlier.
To many, this “crazy” is reminiscent of the bicycle boom of the early 1970s, when U.S. sales doubled in four years, in part due to the gas price shock. DiCostanzo, who worked as a gas salesman at the time, said “history is repeating itself”.
“People are now looking for ways to avoid high fuel prices. What are their options? Buying an electric car for $70,000 to $150,000 and taking nine months to get it isn’t a wise choice.”
By: Bloomberg
Business and marketing
at Blogtuan.info – Source: cafebiz.vn – Read the original article here
