Motorized two-wheeler market in the 3rd quarter: the electric breaks through, but does not convince beyond 125 cm³

The International Automobile and Motorcycle Trade Union Chamber (CSIAM) held its traditional October update to take stock of the motorized two-wheeler market in the third quarter of 2022.

In 2021, the market had grown by nearly 6% with 311,709 registrations (295,100 in 2020). After the confinement episodes, it seems that two-wheelers have never been so freedom-loving.

Over the first three quarters of 2022, registrations of motorized two- or three-wheeled vehicles (2RM) amounted to 145,760 units, down some 8% compared to last year to date. However, the CSIAM considers that it is difficult to draw up a classic analysis of market development on the basis of these figures. Indeed, the activity is driven mainly by the logistical and industrial difficulties experienced to varying degrees by all PTW manufacturers, as well as the entire automotive industry. The market is struggling to recover from the pandemic, but is also bearing the brunt of the semiconductor crisis, the transport crisis and the Ukrainian conflict.

The level of registrations above all reflects an ability to maintain production activity and an operational supply chain more or less than a normal market level. However, the situation should not return to its usual level of activity for several months. According to the CSIAM, all the manufacturers note that the decline displayed does not reflect the reality of customer expectations. In this context, structural demand is very difficult to estimate.

In September 2022, there were 15,399 motorized two-wheelers registered, including 4,673 scooters for 30.4% of the market, compared to 10,719 motorcycles (69.6%). The electric two-wheeler displays a good health of facade, but in reality the market focuses exclusively on the 50 and 125 cm³. In the 50 cm³ category, we now turn to 27.5% of sales in electric, but this includes fleets of company scooters which represent the very bulk of the market with sharing services (yego, citiscoot, for example) , but also administrations such as the La Poste group. Of the 125 cc, the share of electric is 5.6% and it is the BMW CE-04 which provides the bulk of sales with 1,991 registrations since the beginning of the year. To find another electric two-wheeler in the ranking, look for the Silence S01, which has sold only 895 units since the start of 2022, and is in 38th place.

Top 10 best-selling motorized two-wheelers between January and September 2022