DIEREN, THE NETHERLANDS // On the assembly line at Gazelle, a leading Dutch bike manufacturer, a quiet revolution is taking place: mixed with wheels, brakes and saddles are now batteries and engines.
Sales of electric bikes are soaring across Europe, particularly in The Netherlands and Germany, and three out of every 10 cycles made by Royal Dutch Gazelle are equipped with some motorised help.
It is giving a welcome boost to the European bicycle industry as it squares up to stiff competition from Asian companies.
The Dutch love of cycling in this flat nation stretches back more than a century and there are more bikes than people – 20.5 million for a population of 17 million. It is hardly surprising that the country is at the forefront of developing the latest in cutting-edge cycling technology.
“The electric bike has given an enormous boost to the cycling market,” financial analyst said Gerard Rijk from SNS Securities.
In 2014, 1.4 million electric bikes were sold in the European Union, compared with 907,000 the year before and 98,000 in 2006, according to figures from the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (Conebi).
In The Netherlands, 21 per cent of total bike sales in 2014 were electric cycles – more than any other country in Europe.
While the figures for last year are not yet available, Gazelle said electric bikes have increased to represent almost a third of all sales in recent months.
The company, owned by the conglomerate Pon Holdings, recently invested about €10 million (Dh40m) in renovating its factory in Dieren, where it produces about 275,000 bikes a year.
“In The Netherlands, the normal bike market is flat or declining slightly, whereas the e-bike continues to grow,” Gazelle spokesman Ferdi Ertekin said, pointing to an annual growth of 10 per cent.
Accell, another Dutch player that owns popular brands such as Batavus, Koga and Sparta, has ridden the same trend.
It recorded a 20 per cent increase in electric bikes sales in the first quarter of last year, while sales of traditional bikes rose only four per cent.
Martijn van Es, a spokesman for the Dutch cyclists association, welcomed the growing enthusiasm for electric cycles.
“We are seeing people getting on electric bikes who in the past did not cycle, or cycled very little,” he said. “Some elderly people, for example, are using electric bikes. In the past if an elderly person found it difficult to catch their breath, or if there was too much physical effort involved, then the bike was parked in the garage and stayed there.”
But the electric bike is not just targeted at countries where cycling is well-established as a form of leisure or travel.
The extra “oomph” such bikes give to pedal power mean people in more hilly and mountainous places such as Austria, France and Italy are also getting in on the act.
Surprisingly, a market for “sports” electric bikes has also sprung up, said Mr Rijk.
“It was kind of unexpected. You would have thought the sporting types would not be especially interested in sitting on a magnificent mountain bike and getting a little electric help.”
But on city roads like in The Hague or Amsterdam where hordes of bicycles can clog the streets at rush hour, electric bikes remain relatively rare.
“If you have to stop 15 times at a red light then having an electric bike doesn’t really serve much purpose,” said Mr Van Es. “You can’t really get up any speed.”
In the countryside, however, where commuters often travel long distances to get to work, e-bikes that can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometres an hour are coming into their own.
Their main disadvantage is the price tag.
In the Gazelle catalogue, an electric bike costs an average of €2,000, compared with €600 for a traditional pedal bike.
Specialised and luxury bikes, electric and non-electric, may however prove the saviour of European manufacturers to stave off competition from Asian firms and their cheap labour.
Electric bikes with their more complicated assembly will likely continue to be produced in Europe, while cheaper models will come from Asia, analysts said.
Around 60 per cent of all bikes sold in Europe are still made on the continent, but that compares with 76 percent in 2000, according to Conebi.
“For local manufacturers, the high-end market segment including electric bikes is of the greatest importance,” said Mr Rijk. “We’re talking about the survival of the industry.”
* Agence France-Presse
Book%20Details
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20genetic%20disorder%20that%20affects%20the%20lungs%2C%20pancreas%20and%20other%20organs.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIt%20causes%20the%20production%20of%20thick%2C%20sticky%20mucus%20that%20can%20clog%20the%20airways%20and%20lead%20to%20severe%20respiratory%20and%20digestive%20problems.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPatients%20with%20the%20condition%20are%20prone%20to%20lung%20infections%20and%20often%20suffer%20from%20chronic%20coughing%2C%20wheezing%20and%20shortness%20of%20breath.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELife%20expectancy%20for%20sufferers%20of%20cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20now%20around%2050%20years.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
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Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
Janet Yellen's Firsts
- In 2014, she became the first woman to lead the US Federal Reserve
- In 1999, she became the first female chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
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Price: From Dh59,700
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
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