Nice shot by Angell, the French brand of high-end connected electric bikes. The start-up launched by Marc Simoncini, former founder of Meetic, has won a call for tenders launched by the BMW group to develop, manufacture and distribute a range of electric bikes from Mini, the German manufacturer’s brand focused on urban mobility. The contract between Angell and BMW will run for five years.
As part of this partnership, the French company will rely on the SEB group factory in Is-sur-Tille, near Dijon (Côte-d’Or). The first bikes stamped Mini should leave the production lines in the winter of 2023/2024. They will be sold online on the Angell site and in the Teutonic manufacturer’s dealer network.
New distribution model
Thanks to this alliance, Angell intends to distinguish itself from the competition, represented in particular by Cowboy and VanMoof. With car manufacturers looking for urban mobility solutions, all these start-ups developing electric bicycles and scooters have a card to play, because these forms of soft mobility allow automotive players to adapt to changing consumer uses.
That BMW chose Angell for the design of Mini’s e-bikes is a mark of international recognition. To boost its sales, the latter has also changed its distribution model, initially focused on online sales. The start-up thus collaborates with specialized resellers in France and in several European countries, particularly in Italy, Germany and Switzerland. After having sold its first model to 5000 copies, the tricolor brand launched a second last year. These two models are offered at nearly 3000 €.